A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever
by DeadlyFandoms
Summary: In which Mary Poppins narrates the story of her life with Bert through a series of one-shots that tell the most important moments of their lives. (Mary Poppins and Bert)
1. Chapter 1 - The Meeting

**A/N: Oh, look, another Mary Poppins fanfiction...I seriously think I have a problem! XD**

 **So, I've currently been working on (yet another) Mary Poppins one-shot, but I've been having a bit of writer block with it and this is an idea that I've had for ages and I've been desperate to write it, so I thought I'd give it a go since I'm struggling with my other story.**

 **As the description says, this is going to be a series of (sort of) one-shots that tell the story of Mary's life with Bert...some will be quite long and other will be quite short.**

 **I don't know how often I'll update this since I'm moving away to uni soon, but as I said, I've been desperate to write this for ages, so hopefully that'll keep me motivated!**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this first chapter! :D**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter One - The Meeting**

I'm not quite sure just whom I'm writing these accounts for, whether they are for the members of my family that remain, whether they are for some unknown reader far in the future – whom may also be a relative of mine, or perhaps I'm simply writing them for myself, so that I can keep these memories with me forever…regardless of that, I truly believe that my life with the man I love has been absolutely beautiful and as I've always said: A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

So, this is my thing of beauty…this is the tale of my life with Bert Alfred.

 ***!***

I suppose that I should start at the very beginning, since it's a very good place to start. I met Bert when I was only sixteen and it still feels like it was only yesterday. I remember the day exactly as it was. It was a beautiful summers day – grotesquely cliché, I know – the sun was hot and beating down on the back of my neck – but not unpleasantly so. Bird song filled the air and the sky was the most beautiful shade of blue I'd ever seen. That day alone was a scene of pure beauty. Of course, I had no idea that my life would change so much on that day, but oh how it did.

I was walking through London late in the afternoon (I was going back to my Uncle Albert's home – I was staying with him at the time) and I must admit that I wasn't quite looking where I was going – something that I would never do now and certainly never did as an adult…despite what Bert may have said to people! – it was because I was a tad distracted at the time and I'll tell you why. You see, I was set to go to school within a week or two and I was terribly nervous; anyone who knows me now would not believe that Mary Poppins was nervous, but the truth is that I was a very shy young girl – my confidence actually came with my time in school. I was quite frequently filled with paranoia and fears of feeling all alone whilst I was away…I suppose it was understandable since I'd never spent any extended period of time away from my family…or perhaps I was nervous about my magic? Still, I was to be educated and as much as the idea thrilled me, my nerves would often keep my mind in a place that was far from reality…and the day I met Bert was no different. In fact, that was probably the very factor that caused me to meet him in the first place. Let me explain what I mean…

As I said earlier, I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going, one minute I was perfectly fine and walking down the street and the next I felt myself collide with something tall and firm, I stumbled slightly and found myself on the floor and somehow covered in soot. I was absolutely baffled at first, that was until I looked up and saw a young man – who was also covered in soot – staring down at me with a look of sheer panic. I remember blushing ferociously. Without a second thought, the young man dropped his arsenal of chimney sweep brushes and helped me to my feet and I was – as you may have guessed – frozen with shyness. When I was finally on my feet I remember that he gave me a look I couldn't quite recognise at the time, but looking back I now realise that it was a look of awe. I questioned Bert about this once and he told me that he was -and I quote – 'absolutely captivated by my beauty'…and when I think back to this day and recall that look of awe, I can't deny his claim. His mouth hung open ever so slightly (a dreadful habit that he never managed to kick) and his eyes began to bulge somewhat. Then he finally spoke to me…

"I'm…I'm terribly sorry, Miss…it was my fault I…I…" he stuttered.

He simply didn't know what to do with himself, he was stuck between picking up his brushes or checking me over for wounds and since he was far too nervous to do both, he ended up simply bouncing between myself and his brushes like an utter fool. But it made me smile.

"Oh, no, it really was my fault…I wasn't looking where I was going" I said in a mousy voice – I'm still surprised that he was able to understand a single thing that I said.

"But I've got yer nice dress all covered in soot…" he stated sadly.

"Oh, it's quite alright…besides, I made you drop your brushes"

"Oh, don't worry 'bout them – they've bin through much worse than that!" he chirped – still frightfully nervous, though.

When I look back on this memory, I find his nervousness incredibly endearing…and I think I did at the time too. Bert was only eighteen at the time, but really was no different from the charming man I fell in love with.

He began to gather up his brushes, but soon realised that one of them had snapped in half (I'm still not quite sure how that happened)

"Oh…" he said plainly.

"I'm so very sorry…" I whimpered slightly – then an idea hit me, "…close your eyes" I eventually said…timidly.

"Huh?"

"Trust me…close your eyes"

He did so. I'm not quite sure why he trusted me…then again, I'm not quite sure why I trusted him enough to do what I did, there just seemed to be this connection between us, I still can't quite explain in; but Bert exuded some sort of trustworthy manner that instantly made me feel at ease with him. I know that it sounds so frightfully mad, but I clearly wasn't incorrect in my judgements.

Anyway, when Bert finally closed his eyes and snapped my fingers.

"You can open your eyes now" I told him.

When he looked back down at his brush it was as good as new – as if it had never been snapped in the first place. I thought his eyes were going to jump out of his head!

"Cor!" he exclaimed, "'ow…'ow did you…did you do this?" he asked in sheer amazement.

I began to blush again.

"Consider it an apology"

"But 'ow did you…"

Then he looked at my dress.

"Yer dress is clean!" he practically bellowed.

"I cleaned it" I said almost shyly…well, I wasn't lying.

"Well, I never! 'ow'd you manage t' do all this?!"

"Magic" I replied with a slight hint or sarcasm in my voice – once again, I wasn't lying.

He simply smiled at me – that self-same smile that would warm my heart for years to come.

"Well, if it is indeed magic, then consider me completely and utterly enchanted!"

"Think nothing of it, Sir"

"Oh, don't go callin' me 'Sir'…the names Herbert Alfred, but everybody calls me Bert" he said as he extended his hand – which I took and shook timidly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bert…I'm Mary Poppins"

"Mary Poppins…" he echoed, "…well, Mary Poppins, you've just become the luckiest lady in all of London!" he proclaimed.

"Excuse me?"

"You just shook 'ands with a chimney sweep – you'll 'ave good luck now!"

"Well, I could certainly use some" I said truthfully – but I tried to play it off as a joke.

"What d'ya need luck for?"

"Oh, nothing" I excused.

"Don't sound like nothin'…I'm a good listener y'know"

There was just something about him that pulled me in, I was utterly enthralled by this sweet young man who had shown me such kindness and decorum – I felt as if I'd known him for years. So, I told him about my insecurities that day, I told him all about going to school and how I was so afraid of being alone, being a failure and so many other strands of fear that spread through my mind. Bert was right, he was a good listener, a true friend to all those he met…and in truth, I really did need a friend of my own, I was just shy, but I was also rather lonely. When I had finally finished, he spoke such word of kindness to me…

"Y'know, Mary, it's perfectly normal to feel that way, I mean, yer goin' to a new place an' yer gonna be meetin' new people…but you need t' remember that everybody else there will feel the exact same way – they're all gonna be nervous. But I just know that you'll fit in, I mean, look at 'ow you've been talkin' t' me for the past twenty minutes, you've 'ad no problems doin' that, so I just know that yer gonna be fine…I know somethin' special when I see it…"

His eyes widened slightly as he realised the possible power and insinuation that could lie behind those words…

"…an' besides -" he continued, "—I can be your friend…I know that I won't be with ya at school, but I'm 'appy to always be a listener if you ever need one"

"You would? But you hardly know me"

"True, I might not 'ave known you for very long, but all great thing 'ave small beginnings…an' in truth, Mary Poppins, most people would've belted me for bumpin' into them or coverin' their dress in soot, but you've actually bin speakin' t' me like an equal – you 'aven't been treatin' me like dirt like so many others do…I think I need a friend too, Mary Poppins"

My heart went out to Bert that day and I almost wept for him.

"I'd never treat you like dirt…a person is more than the money they have in their pockets"

"You 'ave no idea 'ow much it warms my 'eart to 'ear you say that" he said truthfully – I saw the hurt in his eyes that day…sometimes the happiest of people come from the darkest of pasts.

I held out my hand to him. He eyed it for a moment before taking it into his own.

"Friends" I proclaimed.

"Friends" he replied.

And there's really nothing more to tell. Bert walked me home that afternoon and we agreed that we would keep in contact whilst I was away and also agreed to meet each other whenever I returned home – a promise that we both kept…perhaps that'll be the next story I'll tell you? Bert and I wrote to each other constantly whilst I was away (a wonderful habit that – thankfully – neither of us gave up on) and I knew that it was the start of a truly wonderful friendship. Bert had shown me such compassion that day and pushed aside any of his own problems to help support me with mine – and I had been a complete stranger. When I fully comprehended this, I knew that I could never let him go…I do not wish to be biased, but I have never met another man as caring and considerate as Bert. I knew then that he was a true diamond in the rough – something I made sure never to forget.

I once asked Bert if he had felt that same way when we met, his answer was that he absolutely did – and then some!

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 **A/N: So, there you have it - I'm actually quite happy with this and it was an absolute pleasure to write - it just all seemed to flow so well - I hope it was a joy to read too!**

 **I would really love to hear your thoughts!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	2. Chapter 2 - Our First Christmas

**A/N: So, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! This one is a fair bit shorter, but it's cute!**

 **I really hope you enjoy it!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Two - Our First Christmas**

I wasn't able to return to London until a few days before Christmas. As I said previously, Bert and I constantly wrote to each other whilst I was away – I found it a little awkward at first, we knew so little about each other that it was hard to know what to talk about, but if there's one thing that Bert has, it's charisma. Even in his letters he managed to make me feel comfortable with him – even if we weren't in the same room. His writing made me laugh, smile and I felt as if there was no space between us. I could feel that we were becoming fast friends. He told me stories of his past and any interesting adventures he'd had with the sweeps – of which there were many!

I never really had much to tell him, I always felt as if my school life and studies weren't of much interest – but he always insisted otherwise. To this day I still don't know if he was genuinely interested in my school life or if he was just being kind, but either way, it filled me with such joy. Additionally, he would always ask how I was – making sure that I wasn't feeling alone. Eventually, I began to tell him more about my abilities, but I was very nervous about this and was cautious of how quickly I told him such things. But it never startled him, I think perhaps he had a bit of magic in his soul that we never knew about.

It was around this time that he started to work as a screever and I can remember how utterly amazed I was at the prospect of it! You see, I have always been a poor artist so watching people draw and create art has always been utterly fascinating to me…whenever Bert would draw I would always watch him work – utterly enthralled by his ability. Bert tried to help me improve my skills many times over the years, but it never worked out; so, we agreed that he would stick to drawing the pictures and I would stick to jumping into them.

Sometimes he would send me some of his drawings (the ones he did on paper, of course) – mostly they were of nature or of the sights he saw from the London rooftops. I still have them to this day. They were absolutely beautiful, even at the rather young age of eighteen he had such talent. He would draw me beautiful fiery orange trees during the Autumn months and when winter finally came around we would draw the park underneath a blanket of snow – it was a sight I longed to see. It was as if he'd somehow read my mind, because when we finally saw each other again (when I returned in December) the park was the first place he took me. He took my arm in his own and we strolled through the winter wonderland – our shoes crunching happily through the fresh blanket that had fallen that day. We talked endlessly and I can't believe how comfortable I felt with him. Truthfully, I had never felt that comfortable with anyone, I had never been good at making friends and was often alone as a child, but when I was with Bert, I forgot about all of that – I knew that he was the only friend I would ever need.

I don't really remember what we talked about, but it was enough to make the hours practically fly by. As soon as it was dark, Bert walked me back to Uncle Albert's house. He stood in front of me once we reached the house and rubbed the back of his head nervously (yet another frightfully annoying habit that he never kicked…but I found it rather adorable)

"Are you okay, Bert?" I asked softly.

"Yeah…I just – uh…"

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter…I just…well, I got you a Christmas present an' I didn't know 'ow much I'd get to see you before ya went back to school, so I thought I'd give it to ya now"

With that, he held out a small box wrapped in pale brown paper. I was touched.

"Oh, Bert! You shouldn't have!"

"I wanted to" he blushed.

When I opened his gift, I was greeted by a beautiful silver necklace with a small blue jewel hanging from it – yet another one of his gifts that I still have (and wear) to this very day. I almost cried when I saw it.

"I – uh – chose it because it matches your eyes…" he murmured shyly.

I was captivated by the way the jewel glistened in the moonlight.

"Oh, Bert, it's absolutely beautiful" I practically whimpered.

I had never been shown such kindness before.

"You like it?"

"Like it? Bert, I love it!"

"There's somethin' else in there too"

He was right, there was also a small piece of folded paper. When I unravelled it, I was greeted by a sketch of a beautiful meadow that was populated by violets. The colours were so vibrant and I could practically feel the warm glow of the summer scene that I held in my hands.

"You – uh – said that violets were your favourite flower, but since I can't get any this time of year, I thought I'd draw some instead"

My heart began to do somersaults.

"It's wonderful, Bert!"

"Really?"

"Really"

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist and let him hold me as a few timid flakes of snow began to fall around us. His embrace made me feel so safe and warm and for the first time in a long time, I felt truly happy.

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 **A/N: Cute right?**

 **I really hope you enjoyed that! Please let me know what you thought!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	3. Chapter 3 - Sing A Sweet Song

**A/N: Just a short one this time! But there are definitely going to be some longer ones in the future! Enjoy!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Three - Sing A Sweet Song**

That same Christmas was also the first time that Bert ever heard me sing. As you may have guessed, my voice was another one of my traits that I was incredibly shy about – If you know me then you probably don't believe that either, but when I was young, I only ever used to sing in private. But I'm sure you've guessed that that all changed after Bert gave his opinions on my voice.

I was due to go back to school within a couple of days and I was meeting Bert in the park and due to my seemingly hereditary politeness, I'd arrived rather early and was left to wait alone until our actual meeting time. London was still tucked away underneath the embrace of snow and so the streets were rather quiet, including the park – which was deserted. So, to pass the time, I did what I often did whilst I was alone…I sang. I remember that the song was a dainty tune called "Juanita".

I sat down on a nearby by bench and once I started to sing the melody, my mind slipped away from reality and I became so fixated on the words and notes that I forgot that time was still passing and that life was still moving around me. Singing was an escape for me when I was younger – I used to sing with my mother before she passed away and so whenever I felt lonely or melancholy I would turn to the gift of my voice and find comfort in that. Singing was the only way for me to rid myself of my negative emotions because I could channel them into the words I sang. But as I got older, singing became more of an activity of pleasure because I found myself feeling happier.

I remember that there was a period of silence after the last note left my lips, but it was soon broken when I heard a whispered "Wow" beside me. I whipped my head around and saw Bert standing a few paces away, his jaw hanging open in a stunned silence. My cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Bert!" I gasped, "How long have you been standing there?"

But he didn't answer me…well, he didn't answer the question that I'd asked him.

"Mary…your voice is incredible!" he breathed.

"Oh, don't be so silly…" I blushed.

He moved forward, sat next to me and looked deep into my eyes with such intensity that I felt my breath slip away from me.

"No, I mean it, Mary…that was the most beautiful thing I've ever 'eard" he was so passionate about what he was saying and I could tell by the strength in his voice that he meant what he was saying…he was so desperate to get me to realise it too.

"Do you…do you really mean it?" I squeaked.

He brought a supportive hand to my shoulder and smiled warmly at me.

"I mean it…that song was so beautiful that I'm positive that very bird in London stopped singin' just so that they could 'ave the chance to 'ear your voice!" he proclaimed, "Don't tell me that you've never realised just 'ow amazin' yer singin' voice is?"

I looked down at my feet.

"Well, I don't really sing in front of other people…"

"Don't tell me yer shy about it!"

My silence was my answer.

"Listen to me, Mary -" he began and I met his gaze again, "—you've got nothin' to be shy about, I 'ave never 'eard anythin' more beautiful than that song you just sang…your voice is absolutely perfect! Have some faith in yourself, Mary – share your talent with the world"

"But I always feel so nervous"

"What's there to be nervous about? After all, I'll always be right by your side to support ya!"

"You will?"

"I will – I promise!"

One day those words would become more important than either of us ever would have imagined.

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 **A/N: Like I said, it was nice and short, but I also think that it's nice and fluffy!**

 **I hope you enjoyed it and I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Our First Jolly Holiday

**A/N: I'm back with the next chapter! Thank you for all the love you've been giving me so far!**

 **If you have any suggestions for this story, feel free to message them to me or post them in a review!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
** **Chapter Four - Our First Jolly Holiday**

Now, I simply can't go on without telling you about the first time that Bert and I jumped into one of his chalk drawings. It was spring time – shortly after my seventeenth birthday (which I had celebrated at school) – and I had returned home for a few days…mostly to see Bert, but I never admitted to that at the time. As you can imagine, he was out drawing one morning and I just happened to bump into him (I assure you that it was most certainly was not intentional!)

"Mary Poppins!" he greeted gleefully as he finally realised whose shadow was being cast over his artwork.

He stood up immediately and brushed away the chalk dust from his trousers.

"It's lovely to see you again, Bert"

By this time, I had gained a fair bit of confidence, but my shyness always seemed to return when I was with Bert…but I just couldn't figure out why. Of course, looking back, the answer is painfully obvious – I'm sure you know what it is too.

"The pleasure is all mine!" he beamed, "What're you doin' back in London?"

"Well, I just thought I'd come back and visit" I said simply – not wishing to tell him that he was practically the whole reason why I'd returned.

"Well, I've missed ya, Mary…an' I'm sure your Uncle 'as too!" he added quickly.

I smiled with a slight blush.

"What are you drawing?" I asked – I was still so amazed by his artwork…in fact, I never lost my admiration for it.

"Oh, nothin' too special, just a little meadow, some flowers, a few deer…the usual stuff – it's just a warm up really"

"Well, it looks very good to me"

"It can just be so 'ard to draw things when you've never actually seen 'em, I mean, I've got a good imagination, but it would certainly 'elp if I could actually see it – at least then I could improve it"

I smirked as he had unknowingly given me the perfect set up.

"You know, Bert, I think I might just have the solution to your little predicament"

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Huh? What d'ya mean?"

I chuckled slightly.

"Take my hand" I instructed shyly.

He did so without question.

"Now, this is going to seem quite ridiculous…" I began before looking over my shoulder to make sure that no one was looking, "…but on the count of three I want you to jump forward with me"

"What are ya up to, Mary?"

"Just wait and see…ready?"

He nodded. So, I did just as I said I would and on three Bert obediently jumped and within a blink of an eye he stood in the very meadow that he'd draw earlier that morning. He was absolutely flabbergasted – well, that's putting it mildly! His head whipped back and forth as he desperately tried to process what had just happened and where he was standing. He stuttered incoherently for a moment and I'm quite sure that I'd never looked so proud. Then when he finally seemed to comprehend what had happened, Bert gave me a beaming smile.

"Mary, are we in my—did you do this?"

"Well, it wasn't your doing, was it?" I teased…still with a blush, though.

He laughed and took hold of my hands with sheer excitement.

"Mary, you're the most amazin' person I've ever met!"

"Oh, nonsense"

"I mean it!" he assured kindly.

"Well, shall we take a look around?" I offered.

"Sounds wonderful!"

He offered me his arm like he always did and we began to stroll through the tranquil meadow that he'd drawn. The warmth of the chalk sun was palpable and I'll never forget the way it brushed soothingly across my cheeks – accompanied by a soothing breeze. The sky was the perfect shade of blue and the grass and trees were the most luscious green I'd ever seen; the meadow was littered with hundreds of vibrant flowers – every sort you could imagine! Violets, Daisies, Poppies and so many more…it was a visual crescendo of colour…one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen!

"Oh, Bert, it's absolutely beautiful!" I breathed.

"You're the one 'oo made it come to life"

"Yes, but _you_ drew it in the first place"

A deer skipped passed us skittishly.

"Let's say it was a team effort then" he laughed.

"Let's" I agreed.

As amazing as this day was, there's one particular moment that stands out to me…and that was when Bert brought me to the base of a grand oak tree that stood proudly and overlooked the meadow. We sat by that tree, admired the view and talked for what seemed like hours. I don't know what we talked about, perhaps it wasn't anything meaningful, but I know that it was special to us – it must have been to make time seem so non-existent. I remember smiling and laughing constantly – as did Bert – we seemed to have this ability to put each other in a state of perpetual bliss; in truth, our time together was our happiest, it was when none of our troubles mattered or even existed, we could get lost in each other. I think that's what made our bond so powerful.

I remember that Bert snaked his arm around my shoulder as we spoke, it caused me to stiffen at first, but after a while I realised just how much I needed his comforting touch and I also realised just how safe it made me feel. I leaned into his half embrace – resting my head on his shoulder…and that's how we stayed – for hours! Simply talking and revelling in each other's company. I'm almost certain that he placed a feather-light kiss to the top of my head, but at the time I wasn't sure and I certainly wasn't going to address the issues then and there. Many years later, I did ask Bert about the incident, but he simply smirked and gave me some vague answer that really wasn't and answer at all…so I guess I'll never be sure.

 **A/N: Stay tuned you beauties, because there's more to come!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts! xxx**


	5. Chapter 5 - Sunsets And A Chimney Sweep

**A/N: So, I know that these chapters have all been focused on Mary and Bert when they were 16/17 and 18/19 - but soon it's going to move on to when they were adults and closer to 1910...which means that it may or may not get more romantic! ;)**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Five - Sunsets And A Chimney Sweep**

Of course, I'll never forget the first time Bert and I danced on the rooftops. I had returned home for the summer and ended up spending most of my free time with Bert and in truth, that's all I really wanted to do; I became quite afraid of bothering him, but he insisted that I could never be a bother to him and he proved it by always showing me a good time. That was one of the many things I loved about Bert, he didn't need money or fancy restaurants to create an enjoyable evening (of course, I didn't want for such things) no, Bert could make an adventure out of anything! You could drop him in the most barren corner of London and he'd have you laughing within mere minutes. He was truly amazing – an absolute joy to be around!

We met with each other one summer evening and walked arm in arm through London. The sunset was absolutely stunning and was accompanied by the perfect summer breeze – the sort of breeze that reminds you of the beauty and power of nature, the sort of breeze that reminds you that you're alive, and above all, makes you thankful for such a gift. It was a peaceful evening, but I remember how Bert stopped suddenly outside of the apartment block where he was living at the time. I eyed him questionably as my young mind desperately tried to work out what was going on.

"I wanna show you somethin'" he said mysteriously…but, as always, his smile soothed me.

I'll admit that my heart did begin to race when he led me up through the apartment block and I'll admit further that my mind did wander into the realm of scandal…but at the same time I trusted Bert and was sure that he'd never do anything of the sort, especially not with me – I was right. He led me all the way to the rooftop! I sighed when we stepped out and my gaze cast over London, I had seen similar sights before (when I was younger) but nothing seemed to compare to the way the glow of the descending sun touched the horizon so delicately – like the touch a mother would give to her child.

"Oh, Bert…it's beautiful" I breathed. (I realise now that I said that to him quite frequently!)

I felt his arm snake around my shoulder and I rested my head against him.

"I always like to come up 'ere when the sun's goin' down…it makes me feel free"

"I know what you mean…it's a sight that so few get to see"

"Only the birds, the chimney sweeps and the magical Mary Poppins!" he smirked.

"That's true, I could've flown us up here to save us the trouble of using those awful stairs"

Bert chuckled lightly.

"Sometimes the simpler things will give you the most joy"

Those were words that stayed with me forever, and they were true. In fact, they were the very epitome of Bert, a poor man who managed to find happiness in everything he did – no matter how simple or trivial it may have been. He taught me a valuable lesson that evening.

We stayed comfortably silent for the longest time, simply staring in awe as the sun began to disappear beneath the city, then, as the sunlight was on its last legs, Bert turned to me, took my hand and pulled me against him. I felt his remaining hand slide down to the small of my back and I looked up at him with a flash of confusion.

"What on earth are you doing?" I gasped.

"Pullin' you in for a dance" he said cockily.

"Oh, don't be so ridiculous!" I tried to sound angry, but I could feel the way my cheeks were burning and I just know that my blush was painfully visible.

In truth, having Bert hold me in such a way gave me a real rush of adrenaline and I secretly adored it, but I was afraid of such feelings, I'd never felt this way before and I didn't quite know what it was or how to handle it. But Bert just smiled down at me as we swayed gently across the rooftop – my gaze never leaving his.

"See, this ain't so bad" he reasoned.

"I suppose not" I blushed.

Oh, it was such a wonderful feeling! I didn't really understand why – since I was still only seventeen – but when I look back, I realise just how much love I had for Bert…even if I didn't realise it at the time. I remember how lost I was in his gaze and I know now that such a gaze was a reciprocation of the very love I held for him. I felt truly free in his hold and our waltz was our wings – like we had our own little bubble that could keep us safe. It's true what they say, the world really does melt away when you're so enthralled by someone you care about; and I remember how – much like when I sang – the world melted away that night when I danced with Bert. Please forgive me for how sickeningly sentimental this all sounds – but I'm trying to convey just how much Bert meant to me. In later years, he _became_ my world. I sighed with content when our dance was over and I permitted him to brush his lips against my knuckles.

"It's gettin' late, Mary, I'll walk you home"

"Thank you, Bert"

But he stopped for a moment and gazed over the edge of the rooftop.

"Now, since we got up 'ere my way, 'ow about we get back down in the great Mary Poppins way?" he suggested playfully.

But I simply gave him a mischievous smile…I'm not sure where my newfound courage came from, mind you.

"A respectable person like me flying? What an impertinent suggestion!" I teased before making my way back down the stairs – a confused Bert trailing behind me.

 ****!****

 **A/N: I really hope you enjoyed that! There's more to come!  
**

 **Feel free to send me any suggestions and I'd also love to hear your thoughts!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	6. Chapter 6 - Our First Goodbye

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry that updates have been a bit slow, but as you all know, I started University two weeks ago; freshers week finished on Monday so now I've actually been going to lessons and lectures and I've go so much work to do! You see, I'm studying Japanese and TESOL (Teaching English as a second language) - so I have to learn Japanese and do a lot of work on English language (how it's learnt, phonetics, ETC) and Linguistics...but on top of that, I'm also learning British Sign Language (which I will also be tested and assessed on), AND, on top of that, I'm also part of the boxing club which takes up two nights a week and the Japanese society which takes up my some of my evenings ... so I'm very busy!**

 **However, I am still finding a couple of hours each week to write and so chapters will still be written and uploaded. I've already completed chapter seven for this and am I'm about half way through chapter two for "A Life Worth Living" - so, fear not, I'm still alive!**

 **But I really can't thank you enough for all your patience and support!**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll see you soon!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
** **Chapter Six - Our First Goodbye**

I normally don't like to relive my sad memories, but I believe the darker times in our life can really help to shape us; and with that, I'm now going to tell you about the first time I left Bert to start my life as a nanny. It was our first real goodbye.

I was eighteen at the time and I'll never forget that day, it was a warm morning at the very beginning of September and although Bert and I both knew that this day would one day come, it didn't make the pain any easier. We met on the rooftops that morning and the wind seemed to bellow and whip around us ravenously. We stood in front of each other, but we couldn't bring ourselves to lock our eyes – instead we just both stared at our feet, lost for words and suffering from heavy aches in our chests. I tried so hard to speak, but there was a lump in my throat and I knew that I would struggle to maintain my composure.

Even though we spent a lot of time apart whilst I was at school, things were different now; school had regular holidays and it was easy for me to return home for visits, but now I was going out into the working world. I didn't have to follow the winds, (they were simply a guide that would take me to my next assignment) I could've chosen to stay in London and not worked, but I was not prepared to give up that part of my life – the very thing that I had been working to gain for so long. So, it was bittersweet really, as much as I wanted to become a nanny – I was going to miss Bert terribly. And although I knew that I could always return to London after an assignment (and that many of them would be in London) I never knew where the winds were going to take me and for how long.

There were times where I could be at the other side of the country (or even in different countries) for months at a time…other times I would simply be down the road from Bert's flat. It was a life shrouded in mystery and the only constant in my life was Bert. That's one of the things that made it oh so difficult, I needed him and he was so important to me. He was my best friend, in fact, he was my only friend and as I prepared to leave, I struggled to imagine my life without him.

"I'm gonna miss you" he finally said – his voice cracking.

"I'm going to miss you too" I replied quietly.

"D'ya know where you'll end up or 'ow long you'll be gone for?"

I shook my head.

"You'll write to me, won't ya?"

I finally looked at him.

"Of course I will, Bert!"

I couldn't imagine not having any contact with him.

"Will you come back as soon as yer first assignment is done?"

"I will, I promise…and that's not a piecrust promise"

"I'll wait for you, Mary Poppins"

I didn't quite understand those words at the time, but looking back, I realise that it was a confession of his feelings.

"Bert, I know that I'll be back soon and I know that I'm not going away forever, but thank you for everything you've done for me since we met"

He took a step forward and pulled me into his embrace.

"There's no need t' thank me, Mary" he soothed.

A single tear fell from my eye.

"I can't imagine my life without you" I whimpered.

"I can't imagine mine without you either…but it just means that it'll be extra special when you come 'ome"

We stood there in silence for a while – simply holding each other.

"Mary, if you ever start to doubt yourself again, I want you to remember that you were made to be a nanny, I've never met anyone more kind, caring and compassionate than you…you're goin' t' be the best nanny that ever lived…those kids are gonna be so lucky an' they're gonna love you!…You were practically built for this…I've always known that there was something so perfect about you, but I guess now you 'ave the measurements to prove it!" a slight chuckle left his lips and my eyes finally met his again, "Take care of yourself, Mary – an' never doubt yourself"

"Take care of yourself too, Bert"

As soon as those words had left my lips I leant up and placed a delicate kiss on his cheek and it said everything that I wanted to say but didn't have to courage to. He smiled warmly at the gesture and we both chose to say no more – not wanting to make it any more difficult. I eventually stepped away from his embrace, retrieved my carpet bag and umbrella from their chimney perch and assumed the position that would become very familiar to me.

My gaze never left his as the winds slowly lifted me into the air. We wore sad smiles that day, but I tried my very best to not focus on the fact that I was going to be leaving my best friend and the man that had shaped, supported and cared for me over the last two years…but instead I tried to focus on my exciting new life as a nanny – the life I had dreamed of for year. I also kept reminding myself that I would enjoy my career…And I did enjoy it, it gave me such happiness and I never would've spent my life any other way. I had such love for the children and the families…and the satisfaction that I gained was overwhelming. Being a nanny was absolutely the right decision – one of the best decisions of my life!

But, I also kept reminding myself that I would not be away from Bert forever. But as he slowly began to fade from sight, I couldn't help but feel empty inside.

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed that. If you're itching for some Mary x Bert romance, I promise you it's coming soon!**

 **As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! xxx**


	7. Chapter 7 - My Return

**A/N:** **Yet another chapter! Don't know how good it is but I promise that the story is going to get better! :P But I think this one is cute in its own way! :)**

 **Anyway, hope this one is okay!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Seven - My Return**

It was around five months before I saw Bert again and oh how I had missed him! Of course – as I said before – I absolutely adored my job and the first family I worked for were actually quite lovely; they were the Hudson family, an averaged sized upper-class family and I was hired to take care of three young boys: George (10), Richard (7) and Peter (5). I know that three boys sound like a handful, but I really think they were an easier task, especially in comparison to some of my other families (not that I'm speaking ill of anyone, of course!)

But the boys were lovely, they were just excitable and their parents didn't give them the attention the deserved and desired. I remember that their father was a businessman, but unfortunately, I cannot recall exactly how he made his money and their mother had never desired to be a housewife – she spent most of her time out in the city than in her own home. Still, the boys were sweet and always seemed to make me smile and although I was incredibly sad when I left, there was a flutter of relief in my chest because I knew that I would be returning to Bert.

He was a screever that day and I'll never forget the way my heart began to gallop as I saw his lean frame hunched over his creations. I felt myself smiling uncontrollably. I took a few moments to look at him – perhaps even admire him – I loved the way his face was soft when he drew and how he was so absorbed in the world of his work rather than any hurt he might find in the world. He looked so peaceful and almost innocent – like watching a wild animal flourish in their natural habitat. But I couldn't resist and eventually made my way over to him. I stood in front of him – my shadow casting over his drawings – but he seemed to not notice for a while, until he took in the shape of my silhouette. I heard him whisper, it sounded like…

"Wait…is that…?"

His eyes shot up to me and I'd never seen a smile so big!

"Mary Poppins!" he exclaimed as he hopped to his feet and wrapped his arms around me. The gesture had surprised me since working with such an upper-class family like the Hudson family had made me slightly prudish, but after a split second, after feeling and remembering Bert's soft hold, I melted into him and returned the embrace.

"I've missed you, Bert" I said quietly.

"I've missed you too, Mary" was his reply and he gave me a slight squeeze.

It had only been months, but I can tell you that it felt like it had been a lifetime. I think it's true that you never truly, truly know how lucky you are to have somebody in your life until you are without them. Of course, before I started work I knew how special Bert was and how blessed I was to have him as a friend, but it wasn't until I had been without him for five straight months that I realised just how much of a support he was in my life. Of course, we still wrote to each other whilst I worked, but the bounds of my employment kept me so much further away than school ever did.

Bert eventually pulled out of our embrace and smiled warmly at me.

"Come an' sit down, tell me all about your first family" he said proudly as he led me over to a nearby bench.

"Well, I was assigned to the Hudson family who live in Oxford and I was instructed to take care of Mr and Mrs Hudson's three sons -"

"—Three boys?! Crickets! That must've been an 'andful!" Bert exclaimed.

"You know, I thought it would be that way too - especially since they were the first family in my care - but in all honesty, the boys were fairly well behaved"

"Really?"

"Really. They acted up occasionally – all children do – but they certainly weren't dysfunctional in any way…and that confused me because Mr Hudson spoke of them as if they were the worst children in all of England! He said that they were so badly behaved that they'd gone through over nine nannies in the last three months!"

"Why would 'e say that if it weren't true?"

"I wondered that for a while, but then I realised something: when I was alone with the boys or when I took them on outings, they were as good as gold, the only time they acted up was when their parents were around…I realised then that they only misbehaved as a cry for attention"

"Attention?"

I nodded.

"Their parents barely even acknowledged their presence, Mr Hudson was always working and Mrs Hudson had no interest in being a mother…I know that not all women wish to be housewives, but I believe that once you have children it is your duty to love and care for them…Mr and Mrs Hudson didn't do that and so it left their three boys feeling so neglected…Oh, Bert, it was just heart-breaking!"

"But you fixed it didn't ya, Mary? You made things better?" he tried to soothe me.

"Eventually they realised just how important their children were…but there are so many families out there like them that need support and guidance…"

"An' you'll 'elp them too, Mary…you'll fix every last one"

"I hope so…"

There was a moment of silence. At the time, I was rather disturbed by the neglect the Hudson boys received and unfortunately it was something I got used to seeing…but it never truly stopped hurting.

"Enough about me-" I eventually said, "—what have you been doing with yourself for these last few months?" I asked him.

He smiled and gave a slight shrug.

"Same as usual…a bit of everythin' really…mostly been workin' with the sweeps or been drawin' down 'ere"

"I'm ever so glad you've continued to draw – you really are extremely talented!"

I'll never forget the way he blushed when I said that. He gave a slight giggle.

"Thanks" he replied – his cheeks now crimson, "There's no way I could've given up drawin'…it always makes me think of our little jolly 'olidays" he said sweetly.

I rested my head on his shoulder.

"I really have missed you" I whispered.

"I've missed you too"

Luckily, my next assignment was in London and there were many more jolly holidays to come.

 **A/N: Did you like that? I think it's cute - like I said, the romance is going to increase over the next few chapter, so fear not!**

 **Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts! xxx**


	8. Chapter 8 - Back With Bert

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey guys! Here's the latest chapter, sorry it's taken a while, but as I keep saying I'm very busy!**

 **There's really nothing more that I can say without repeating myself, so read on and enjoy!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Eight - Back with Bert**

My next assignment came only a week after my reunion with Bert, we had both said our goodbyes and had prepared ourselves for wherever the East winds may have taken me; but when I finally left, I was merely deposited at a home in London. I was, quite frankly, overjoyed1 My next family was once again wealthy, but I was now in charge of twins: Jeffry and Amelia – and at 9 years old, they were quite a handful! They fought and wound each other up as all siblings do and for a while I struggled to find the root of their behaviour problems; I had (pessimistically) suspected that the cause would be parental neglect – like my first family – but I just couldn't see how that would be the case. Their parents (Mr and Mrs Beechworth) seemed to direct a lot of attention to their children and wanted them to have the finest education possible; this was something that meant I tutored them both endlessly in the evenings, especially in English and French (two subjects I was very proficient at).

I would later discover that all the attention given to Jeffry and Amelia by their parents was actually the root of the family's problems…Mr and Mrs Beechworth put too much pressure on the children, especially when it came to their academic achievements and what opportunities their futures would hold. Whilst I could agree with the angle their parents were taking, I also thoroughly insisted that children need to be children. I tried to convince their father to take more of a backseat in their academic development and instead let them engage in the sort of activities that children should; he agreed (reluctantly) and so I ended up taking Jeffry and Amelia to the park…and straight into the gaze of a hard-working screever.

Bert could be found at the park most mornings and thankfully this day was no exception. By the time the children and I arrived he had already completed a multitude of wonderful drawings…they were, as always, truly enchanting! The colours were so vibrant and it seemed as if they were seconds from jumping right off of the pavement. He drew forests and jungles and mountain ranges that stretched up to the stars, content country cottages and dazzling lakes in the summer. He was so very talented.

He had his back to us as he crouched over a half-finished drawing of a herd of deer and so I pulled the children close and stood behind him for a while – just waiting to see if he'd turn around. And he did. Bert claimed that he could always sense when I was around, of course, I'm not sure how true that was, but I knew that he was aware that the winds had changed a few days prior. After only a few seconds of standing behind him, he turned and his eyes locked with mine instantly.

"Mary Poppins!" he all but gasped, "What on earth are you doin' 'ere? You only just left!"

"Bert, this is Jeffry and Amelia Beechworth – my latest charges – they live just a few minutes down the road"

A beaming smile spread across his face.

"Does that mean that yer gonna be in London for a while?" he practically whispered.

I nodded slowly and failed at hiding my own ridiculous grin. Bert jumped to his feet and I could tell that he was mere seconds from trying to embrace me, however, Amelia spoke up just in time and distracted him.

"Mary Poppins, who is this?" she asked suspiciously – proving loyal to her measurements.

"Amelia, this is Bert – he's a good friend of mine" I said kindly.

Bert knelt so he was at a level height with the twins.

"Nice t' meet ya! I'm Herbert Alfred, but everybody calls me Bert!" he chirped. He held out his hand, but only Jeffry shook it. I glared at Amelia for her rudeness, but Bert let it wash by as if he didn't notice.

"How do you know Mary Poppins?" Jeffry inquired.

"Well, it's a bit of a long story, but Mary Poppins an' I 'ave been friends for quite some time… 'ow long 'as it been now, Mary? Two years?"

"Something like that" I said vaguely as I tried to hide the slight blush in my cheeks…I knew exactly how long it had been...and so did he.

"Are you married?" Amelia asked abruptly and I felt my eyes spring open.

"Amelia!" I scolded, but Bert just chuckled.

"No, we're not married"

"You wouldn't be able to marry each other anyway, people aren't supposed to marry outside of their class"

I felt my nostrils flare. I knew that Amelia had picked up such a rotten attitude from her parents and it saddened me that such a sweet, young girl such had such a view of the world.

"Well, class isn't eveythin' is it? What's important is 'ow you feel…if two people love each other, then they should marry each other an' things like class shouldn't matter" Bert shrugged and Amelia went quiet.

His words managed to make my heart flutter...Bert always knew exactly what to say to make things better.

"Did you draw these, Bert?" came Jeffry's voice as he discovered Bert's artwork.

"I did indeed!"

"They're very good" Amelia said quietly – almost as if she were ashamed of her previous comments.

"Why, thanks very much!" he beamed, "They're all drawn from my own memory!"

That's when I knew he was up to something. I gave him a slight glare.

"Huh? You mean you've been to all of these places?" one of the children questioned – unfortunately, I don't remember which one.

"I 'ave indeed, every single one!"

"But how?" Amelia asked in disbelief.

"Well, when you've got a friend like Mary Poppins, anything is possible!" he gave me a cheeky smile and I felt my façade begin to crack at the edges.

"You mean Mary Poppins took you to all of these places?"

"That she did, Jeffry…isn't that right, Mary?"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about" I said bluntly. I was not prepared to start transporting my charges in and out of chalk drawings, especially somewhere so public…and I feared what their parents would've thought!

"You sure about that Mary?"

"Quite sure"

"She's only messin' around, kids, ya see, Mary can take ya absolutely anywhere – even into a drawing just like this one"

"Don't be ridiculous, Bert" I said stubbornly.

"Is it true, Mary Poppins?" Jeffery asked with growing excitement.

"Of course it's true!" Bert cut in.

"I'll thank you to stop putting such ridiculous ideas into their heads"

"So you can't take us into the drawing, Mary Poppins?" questioned Amelia.

"It isn't right to lie, Mary Poppins" Bert teased.

"There's nothing to lie about" I insisted.

"You just won't do it because it's too difficult for ya!"

"I beg your pardon?!" I gasped.

"You 'eard me…are ya scared you'll mess it up?"

"Certainly not!"

"Go on then, prove it" Bert smirked.

"Yes, please show us, Mary Poppins!" Jeffry cried.

I huffed – defeated. But I wasn't entirely displeased about it.

"Very well. All hold hands please and stand up straight. Jump on the count of three…" I instructed, "…One, two, three"

And on three, we jumped. I chose to transport us all into Bert's drawing of the snowy mountains…a decision I suspected I would regret. But I cannot deny how spectacular it was, the sky was almost purple and the stars shone brighter than those I'd ever seen in the real world. Gentle flakes rained down onto our now winter clothes and the mountains served as a wall of privacy. There was something so soothing and tranquil about it all. The way the chalk snow crunched beneath our boots or the way that everything seemed to glow. My words really don't do it justice.

"It's breathtaking" I whispered to him and he smiled (almost adoringly) at me.

"Snow!" the children cheered and before I could utter a single word the rushed off into the distance to play.

"Do be careful and make sure you stay warm!" I called after them.

"Relax, Mary, they'll be fine"

"I'm still their nanny, Bert, I still have to make sure they're alright" I said softly.

"They will be" he assured. I knew they would be.

"So, 'ow 'ave they been? You never told me you were working in London"

I felt a twinge of guilt in my chest.

"I know, I'm terribly sorry…I was going to tell you as soon as I found out, but I wanted to settle in first, but there was something peculiar about this family, I just couldn't figure out what was causing so much trouble…"

"Do you know now?"

I nodded before speaking.

"The parents are smoothing them with expectations, the poor dears are under way too much pressure – they hardly have any time to behave as children should"

"That ain't right" Bert sighed.

"I know that their mother and father only want what's best for them, but they were way too focused on their education, it wasn't healthy for Jeffery and Amelia…their father had me tutor them extensively every night – to the point where they could barely keep their eyes open"

"And you think you've sorted it?"

"Not just yet…it took a lot of convincing for Mr Beechworth to allow me to bring them out today…I fear when we return I'll have to tutor them even more to make up for lost time…" I sighed slightly, "…I think it's going to a lot of work to change their minds"

Bert put a supportive hand on my arm.

"You'll sort it out, Mary, I 'ave faith in ya"

"Thank you" I said softly.

We started to walk through the snow, each step brought a satisfying crunch to our ears and the air was surprisingly warm.

"'ey, what's that over there?" Bert suddenly exclaimed before running off towards some distant trees – leaving me alone.

"Bert!" I called, "Bert, where on earth are you going?" I got no answer.

I followed his footsteps with a frustrated huff; sometimes it felt like I had an extra child with me when I was with Bert…but I'll admit now that that's one of the many things I loved about him. Of course, at this moment, love was the last emotion on my mind. I eventually reached the trees that he had bolted for, but saw no sign of him and his footsteps continued. I rested against one of the trees.

"For goodness sake, Bert…" I huffed, "You'd better not be larking about!" I called.

But the next thing I knew a snowball came flying towards me and hit me square on the cheek – sending a trail of chills across my face as the particles of snow crumbled onto my coat. A roar of laughter accompanied the attack and soon Bert emerged from behind one of the trees – his eyes water from laughter.

"I wish you could see your face!" he roared. I just looked at him sternly.

"Bert you're such a child" I said sternly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mary –" he said – still laughing, "—but I just couldn't resist!"

The tiniest of smiles pulled at the corner of my lips.

"Be careful, Bert, remember that people always get their comeuppance" I said somewhat cheekily.

"I'm 'appy to take the risk" he chuckled as he offered me his arm – which I took without a second thought.

As we walked back towards the children I brushed the remanence on the snowball off my jacket and I could hear him stifling a laugh.

"You 'ave to admit that I've got pretty good aim!"

"I'll admit no such thing"

"Well, I think I know what'll make you feel better"

"Oh, do you?"

"Yep, look…" he said as he pointed towards the sky.

I followed his gesture and my breath was stolen from me as I saw the most incredible sight – the most vibrant of greens and purple swirled through the sky in soft patterns and illuminated our surroundings. It was like nothing else I'd ever seen, in fact, to this day, I still haven't seen anything quite like it. It was nature's very own art show – a hidden gem that Bert had capture so perfectly. Their path was so mesmerising as the colours gently lapped across the blackness of the sky. I felt his arm slip around my shoulders and in that moment, everything felt so wonderful.

We sat eventually – enveloped by the soft snow – and kept our eyes locked to the miracle above us. I'm not sure how long we stayed there, but I felt as if I could've stayed forever.

"Bert…" I eventually whispered.

"Yeah?" he replied – turning to face me. His eyes glowed underneath he lightshow.

I let my gaze lock with his longingly and he seemed to drink in my appearance. Until I shoved snowball in his face.

"'ey!" he cried as he shook the cold flakes from his face.

I let myself laugh freely and his expression of pure disbelief only added to the humour.

"I told you you'd get your comeuppance!" I laughed.

"That you did…so I suppose I can't blame ya" he smirked.

"Hopefully that'll make you think twice before you start playing tricks on me" I said – my tone more mischievous than I'd intended.

"Sorry, Mary, but seeing you in the midst of a surprise is just too good an opportunity to pass up!" he teased.

And those were certainly words he lived by, because even though we spent so many years together, Bert Alfred never, ever stopped surprising me.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I have to admit, I quite liked this one! Sorry if it wasn't overly fluffy or romantic, but I don't want to rush into their relationship; but don't worry, romance is imminent!**

 **Please leave a review, it would mean so much to me!**

 **See you soon! xx**


	9. Chapter 9 - I Missed You

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey, my beauties! So, it's just a short one this time, but it's still very fluffy! However, I have already written chapter 10 and it's much, much longer so you'll also have that to look forward to.**

 **I can also say that the Mary/Bert romance should kick in fully by around chapter 11 or 12 - so the wait is almost over!**

 **Thanks for all the support and kinds words - I hope you enjoy this!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Nine - I Missed You**

This particular memory isn't overly detailed – in fact, there really isn't much to tell – but it's just something that has stuck with me, I'm really not sure why, but I value every memory I have with Bert and this one is no exception.

My day off came only a few days after we'd taken my charges into Bert's mountain drawing and we (naturally) spent it together. I'm not sure why, but I remember that I felt somewhat nervous that day; at the time, I had simply told myself that it was just because I hadn't spent any time alone with Bert for a while…but now, in retrospect, I think the cause of my nerves may have been something entirely different. But enough about that.

We went for tea that day and I'll never forget how his gaze never left mine, how he gave me his full attention and never once made me feel a single shred of a negative emotion. He made me feel comfortable and he listened to me so intently, well, it made me feel truly wanted – something that I was not used to feeling…unless I was with Bert. He had this amazing ability to make the dullest and most ordinary things seem incredible. Somehow, doing nothing with Bert felt like everything.

There was just something about him and for years I couldn't quite put my finger on it…he made everything seem warm and tender, as if there could be no hurt in the world, as if everything was fine. I know it sounds so dreadfully hyperbolic, but it's a sensation that I always felt when I was with him and even after all the years we spent together, I never once stop feeling this way. He was like the sun itself, a beacon of light, life and happiness. Bert was a true diamond.

And I'll never forget what he said to me that day, after talking for some time there was a brief pause…he studied his empty teacup for a while before softly saying…

"I missed you"

I looked at him – almost with surprise. But after a few seconds, I knew that there was only one appropriate response.

"I missed you too"

And it was true, I had missed him terribly. At this time, I considered London to be my home, but it never truly felt like home unless Bert was there. As the years went on he became the only true constant in my life – thus making him the one thing that was most valuable to me.

"I enjoyed working in Oxford, but it wasn't the same without you there…" I wanted to go one, but there was a lump in my throat.

"I felt the same, Mary…everythin' else in my life was normal an' whilst things were as joyous as ever, there was somethin' missing…I guess knowin' that you weren't gonna turn up whilst I was out drawing put a bit of a dampener on everythin'..." he gave me a smile, "…the sun follows you, Mary and London was awfully grey whilst you weren't 'ere"

Whilst I felt a twang of guilt in my chest, I knew then that Bert was truly someone special…but I don't think I realised quite how much. And I certainly didn't realise how much he would change my life over the years, how he would give me an amazing life and how I would never regret any moment that we spent together.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'd love to hear what you thought of that and I'll see you soon! xxx**


	10. Chapter 10 - Laughter And Tears

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey! Hey! Hey! So, here's chapter 10 - I've done something very different with this one so I would really love it if you left me a review and told me what you think - I'm actually a little nervous about this chapter! :P**

 **I have started chapter 11 (and chapter 4 of "A Life Worth Living") but do forgive me if they take longer to get written and published since my uni work load is really starting to increase - but I won't abandon these stories!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter 10 - Laughter And Tears**

For the next two years, life was pretty much the same for Bert and I; I found myself taking jobs both in and out of London – all over England in fact – one month I'd be in Blackpool, then I'd be in Cornwall…it really was a surprise each time. And whilst I had many jobs in London, sometimes I could be away from months at a time, and that hurt us both. Anyone who I considered to be a friend or family member lived in London, but there was no one like Bert, he was the one person that could always make me smile, no matter what. He was the one that I thought of when I headed to my next assignment, the one that made me wish desperately that I would return to London each time the winds carried me away. As much as I adored my work, I often had spells of loneliness; I enjoyed exploring each new location, but I couldn't help but long for Bert and his array of pavement pictures, or perhaps his gift for song and dance…

Still, life continued this way, I'd be back and forth and when I was finally back in London I would seek him out immediately…and if I ever had some free time between assignments, I'd be back by his side without a second thought. It was instinct really. Bert always knew when the winds had changed and he always made sure to work as a screever so that I could find him easily; and once I returned we would almost always find ourselves in one of his pictures. Those early days were so magical. And even though everything continued on this same path, there is simply one occasion that I must tell you about: the time that my uncle Albert was stuck in mid-air for three whole days!

Okay, perhaps I should explain. You see, my uncle Albert had this 'condition' that was a result of his possession of magic, it didn't harm him, but it was quite serious and could be very contagious if you didn't hold onto your self-control. You don't get spots or sickness or anything like that, in fact, it was quite the opposite; you see, once uncle Albert started to laugh, well, he just couldn't seem to stop and before he knew it he'd be floating on the ceiling and in fits of unstoppable laughter. He could never seem to get back down on his own either. So, if you weren't careful, you too would find yourself floating.

I had known about my uncle's condition since childhood and I had told Bert not too long ago too, he had come with me once or twice when Albert had had one of his 'episodes', but it had been resolved within a few hours; however, this occasion was far different; as I said earlier, it took us three whole days to get him back onto solid ground…and Bert was kind enough to stay with me the entire time. There is another reason why I'm choosing to tell you about this specific occasion, but you'll see what that is later…

So, it had happened not too long after my twenty-second birthday and I was currently between jobs. Bert and I had had spent the morning together and decided to visit Albert that afternoon, of course, we reached the door of his house and could hear thunderous laughter coming from inside. I remember shuddering before looking up at Bert, he had concern laced across his features and I – apparently – didn't look much better. I opened the door with trepidation and my fears were confirmed when I saw uncle Albert several feet off the ground – laughing until he became short of breath.

"Oh, uncle Albert…" I sighed, "…what on earth set you off this time?" I had to be firm with him.

"Mary Poppins! Oh, it's so lovely to see you again! And you too, Bert!"

"Afternoon, Albert" Bert greeted with a tip of his cap.

"You haven't answered my question, uncle Albert"

"Well, I was sat here perfectly content when I read something funny in the newspaper and, oh, I just couldn't help myself!"

"Uncle Albert, you promised that you would try and stop all of this"

"Oh, I know I did, my dear and I'm ever so sorry, but I just couldn't help myself…and you know what I'm like when I start laughing – I just can't stop!"

"Well, unfortunately, we're going to make you stop. We can't have you up there, can we?"

"I appreciate the help my dear!" he said between giggles.

I sighed from the impending exhaustion before looking up at Bert.

"You don't have to stay, Bert" I said softly, but he just smiled warmly at me.

"Don't be silly, Mary, I'm not leaving you – either of you"

You couldn't meet a more selfless man.

"I'll make us some tea, we might be 'ere for a while"

Bert and I tried everything we could think of on that first day, I spoke about how so many of my charges weren't getting enough love and attention from their parents and Bert talked about how one of the chimney sweeps was injured a few days ago, but it was all to no avail – uncle Albert remained in mid-air. One of the other side effects of my uncle's condition was that he never seemed to be able to rest once his feet had left the ground, so we couldn't wait for him to fall asleep and float back down, no, instead we had to keep up a sort of twenty-four-hour watch. It was truly exhausting, but he was my family and I was prepared to do anything for him, and Bert, like the kind soul he was, stayed by my side the entire time.

We decided to rest once Bert started to find it difficult to contain his own laughter – the last thing I wanted was to have him on the ceiling too! So, we both retreated to the drawing room and sat together on the sofa as a warming flame burned in the fireplace. With his laughter now gone, Bert began to rub his eyes.

"Why don't you go home, Bert?" I suggested – his exhaustion was painted so clearly across his features.

"I ain't goin' nowhere, Mary, not until Albert 'as 'is feet back firmly on the ground"

"You really don't have to put yourself through this"

In truth, I wanted him there with me – I felt much better when I was around him – but I hated seeing him so tired, especially when it was for my sake.

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong! –" he said with as much gusto as he could manage, "—Ya see, friends look out for each other, so I'm gonna look out for you, Mary Poppins" he gave me his token smile, the smile that – even back then – made my heart flutter.

The smile that made me ask what I did to deserve such an amazing friend.

Our second day with uncle Albert was much of the same, our time was divided into resting or doing everything we could to get him to come down; on the second night I started to break – almost wholly convinced that he was beyond help. When I finally left uncle Albert and went back into the drawing room, Bert had fallen asleep on the sofa – still somehow perfectly upright (apart from the delicate droop pf his head). I don't know what prompted it – perhaps it was the severity of my exhaustion, but as soon as I sat at the other end of the sofa, tears began to spill onto my cheeks and I had to swallow my sobs until I croaked. I can just remember how fearful I felt in that moment, the way my throat seemed to close up – like I couldn't breath – and the way that my heart pounded every time I thought of my uncle; he hadn't had an outburst in years and yet there he was, having his worst one ever. Bert and I were doing all that we could, but it just seemed as if nothing was going to work. I was terrified. Utterly terrified. I didn't know what was going to happen to my uncle, I didn't know if he was going to be okay and I just couldn't take the hurt any longer. I brought my hand to my eyes to cover my tears – I knew that whiping them away would be pointless.

"'ey, what's all this?" I heard a soft voice ask.

I looked over and saw Bert gazing at me – his eyes glazed over with worry.

"Oh, Bert…" I managed to croak before turning away to cry again.

He shuffled closer to me and snaked his arm around my shoulder – holding me securely. His embrace was so soothing.

"Please don't cry, Mary"

"I'm just so worried about him, Bert…he's never been this bad before and it doesn't seem as if anything we're doing is working…"

"It'll be alright"

"But what if it's not? What if something happens to him? I don't…I don't think…" I couldn't go on, instead, I just kept crying.

Bert began to stroke my arm gently.

"Shhh, take a deep breath…everythin' is gonna be fine, we're gonna get 'im down an' soon everythin' will be back to normal…an' I'm gonna stay 'ere and 'elp you – no matter 'ow long it takes"

I turned back to face him and he looked deep into my eyes…for just a second, everything else went white. I opened my mouth to say something – anything! – but I just couldn't for the words, instead there was a lump in my throat and my chest felt heavy. Bert just gave me a warm smile and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"You need to get some rest, Mary"

I think he expected me to lie on the sofa, or even take my uncle's bed; but instead I leant against him and rested my head on his shoulder. I felt so safe in his embrace and the warmth of his body was so soothing; it almost felt as if I was being embraced by the sun itself – there really arm no words to describe it. But if you can, imagine being suspended in a moment of pure comfort, where you feel warm, secure and protected from all harm; imagine feeling like the first fresh daisy of spring being awoke by the morning rays, booming into life and smiling as you realise that all is well. That, it what it felt like to be held by Bert Alfred. I remember wondering how one person could have such an effect on me and such a huge impact on my life…I was so aware of how lost I would've been without him. I had hoped, with my whole heart that he felt the same way about me. He did.

I awoke the next morning and found myself snuggled against Bert – who was still sound asleep. I blushed as a became aware of my current position and quickly untangled myself from his arms. I crept towards the door but was halted in my tracks when I heard him speak to me groggily…

"Leaving so soon?"

"Excuse me?" I asked almost shyly.

His eyes stayed shut.

"Didn't think you'd be so eager t' break away from my embrace"

"Oh, Bert, you know I didn't -"

He let out a slight chuckle.

"I was only teasin' ya, Mary"

His eyes finally opened and met mine as he rose to his feet. Eventually he stood in front of me and I couldn't help but gaze up at him.

"You ready to try again?" he asked softly as his eyes darted towards the door.

I nodded nervously.

"Everythin' is gonna be fine" he soothed.

For the longest time that day, it really seemed as if things weren't going to improve; we kept trying and trying but uncle Albert's feet still wouldn't touch the ground. I simply couldn't understand why things had gotten this bad and why we seemed to be incapable of helping him. The hours went by and I was convinced that we would soon have to spend a fourth day trying to cure him.

"Nothing seems to be working, Bert" I said to him weekly.

"Don't give up 'ope, Mary"

"But I don't know what else we have left…" I sniffed.

I watched as his brow furrowed in contemplation. He let out a small sigh. It was strange, but there was something about him in that moment that seemed to change, I couldn't figure out what it was, but it was as if the air around him went cold…like his natural aura of positivity seemed to fizzle into something bleak. Like he was no longer the eccentric and cheerful Bert that I knew so well. He seemed more detached. I looked at him for an explanation, but he gave me nothing, instead he just turned to my uncle and began to speak plainly…perhaps fearfully…

"Let me tell you a story, Albert…"

"Oh, okay!" my uncle chuckled, "What's it about? Is it funny?"

"I'm afraid it's far from funny…y'see, the story is about me an' my childhood…"

I stopped then – holding my breath – as I realised that Bert had never spoke of his childhood to me, in fact, whenever it was mentioned he would furrow his brow and brush away the topic in any way he could. I can remember feeling the trepidation crawling up my back like a hoard of insects.

"I didn't 'ave an easy life growin' up, so I suppose that's why I never talk about it, but I think it's about time I finally opened up a bit…it might even make me feel better…" he rubbed the back of his neck and I could tell that this was the _last_ thing that he wanted to talk about.

He swallowed hard before continuing.

"Y'see, I'm the oldest of five children, my family was very poor an' so we didn't 'ave much, my dad worked as a merchant during the day, but 'e never made much money from that, so, at night, 'e used to try an' earn a living by gambling or by fightin' in fight clubs…'e would come 'ome battered an' bruised every night, 'e would be drunk and sometimes 'e would 'ave no money on 'im…sometimes the gambling paid off and we ate well that week, but sometimes it didn't and 'e would lose everythin' that he 'ad…"

He swallowed hard again,

"…me mother was a caring woman, but it was so 'ard for 'er, not only did she 'ave to look after all 'er kids with next to no money, but she 'ad to put up with her drunk, violent and irresponsible 'usband…when my father drank he got rough…I remember 'e stumbled through the door one evening an' I quickly took my brothers and sister into the other room, my mother 'ad scolded 'im for being so irresponsible and 'e…and 'e…hit 'er – several times in fact. You could 'ear the strength of 'is punches an' so, that night, when I was no older than thirteen, I ran back to defend me mother…I pushed my father out of the way an' told 'im to 'it me instead – so 'e did. He beat me until I was black and blue. Thankfully, 'e never laid another finger on my mum after that, instead 'e would hit me…but I put up with it because I thought that I'd rather 'ave 'im beat me than beat my mum or one of my younger siblings. I used to hide under the sheets at night when my father came 'ome drunk, but if 'e was angry enough, 'e always found me. I knew that my mother wanted to intervene, but she was too scared…an' I don't blame 'er. I wanted to get as far away from 'ome as possible, but I still 'ad to 'elp look after me siblings – if they weren't in order, I was the one who father would discipline – so, instead of running away, I decided to get myself a job, there wasn't much I could do at thirteen, so I started out as a street sweeper…I enjoyed the freedom of it, but I hardly made any money…in fact, a person's spit would fly at me more than their money would, but I kept at it because it kept me away from 'ome…"

He sniffed.

"…then about a year later, on a warm summers evening, I was tryin' to avoid goin' 'ome so I just sat out on the streets waiting for the sunset to end, in my idle state I picked up a sharpened stone and scratched away at the pavement until I 'ad drawn something that resembled a deer…it wasn't much, but I liked it since I'd drawn it myself…and that's when somethin' quite special 'appened, a gentleman walked passed and dropped me a couple of coins for me work…I couldn't believe it! So, I kept scratching away and soon I 'ad double me earnings! I got a bit over excited and ran 'ome t' tell mum, she was so pleased, but my father got angry that 'is worthless son 'ad found 'imself a more stable trade…'e beat me again that night – the worst beatin' he'd ever given me…but, I got 'old of some charcoal and kept on drawing when I could, I tried to keep it a secret from my dad, but it didn't always work out, 'e would 'it me each time 'e found out, but I kept telling myself that at least 'e wasn't 'itting anyone else…this continued for two years an' when I was sixteen I finally left 'ome. I didn't want to, believe me I didn't, I felt so guilty that I was leavin' my mother an' my siblings with the monster that I called father, but I wasn't sure 'ow much longer I could take it…I was cut and bruised and was lucky to still be walking…so, one night, without saying goodbye, I left them some money and snuck out the window…that's when I fell in with a crowd of chimney sweeps…I 'aven't been back to the 'ouse since, but I do write to my mother an' siblings often and see them when I can…they told me that my dad died a couple of years ago…I went an' stood at the back of the funeral, after all, 'e was the only father I ever 'ad…even if 'e didn't act like one…"

That's when he trailed off and a heavy silence filled the room. At some point, uncle Albert had floated back to the ground and sat in a stunned silence, I, on the other hand, was weeping profusely. I never imagined that the kindest man in all of London had had such a terrible childhood, that he had to put up with so much torment. Tear spilled endlessly from my eyes and I felt my heart crumble until it was little more than dust. After hearing his story, my admiration for Bert transcended everything I knew and everything I thought was possible…amazing doesn't even come close to describing him.

He pulled me close so that I could weep into his shirt and I'm almost certain that this was the moment I began to fall for him.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you have it - quite a long one in comparison and, like I said, I'm a little bit nervous about this chapter so I'd love to hear your thoughts!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	11. Chapter 11 - Feed The Birds

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Guess who's got tones of essay deadlines and around 4 or 5 impending exams? Yep! Meeee! (HELP!)**

 **But, enough about my life, here is chapter 11, just another short one, but, the romance is coming soon! I know I keep saying it, but I mean it! If there's no romance in chapter 12, then it'll definitely be in chapter 13...I'll try and get them up as soon as I can, but I do need to prioritise my uni work. However, I am quite good at managing when I allow myself to write - I usually only let myself write for an hour or two at night and only after I've done some work or studying :P**

 **But, I'm going to shut up so that you can read this chapter...I hope you enjoy it!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Twelve - Feed The Birds**

"Why do you choose to help people, Mary?" Bert once asked me softly as the cherry blossoms began to fall onto his shoulders like individual pieces of free falling art.

I let out a small, nostalgic sigh before meeting his gaze.

"When I was a little girl, I met the bird woman…she was younger back then…" I began, "…Uncle Albert was looking after me that day and as we made our way into the city I heard a faint voice calling out to me… _'Feed the birds, tuppence a bag'_ it said softly…and when I turned around I saw a woman sat on the steps of St Paul's with pigeons flocking around her, in the way a child would to their mother…she smiled warmly at me as she met my eyes…I moved away from my uncle for just a second and made my way over to her…"

At this point we had stopped walking and Bert's eyes bore into my own – seemingly looking into my very soul. I remember how I shivered slightly. I remember how something had changed between us.

"' _Hello, young lady…'_ she said to me…I remember that her voice seemed so motherly, _'…would you like to feed the birds? They're ever so hungry and it'll only cost you tuppence'_ …I could hardly say no to her…I can't remember much more about that day, but I'll never forget the way my heart ached for her. I was filled with such sympathy, I found it heart-breaking that I had everything I needed, yet this poor woman had nothing…naturally I paid her the tuppence, I felt it was the least I could do…but it didn't make me feel better, not when I knew that she – and many others – were still suffering…I think that's when my ambitions all fell into place…that's when I decided that I wanted to help people…"

"I've never known anyone so selfless" Bert said warmly.

"It took many years before I decided that I wanted to become a nanny…and I'm not quite sure how that revelation came about, but I always had a desire to help those less fortunate…and although it may seem like a nanny cannot fulfil such a goal, I assure you I can…you see, when a family has problems, they all suffer – there's no getting away from it – so, when I help families, I'm bringing a unit back together, I'm bringing the joy back into their lives – or, at least I hope I am…"

"You are, Mary, I promise" he assured me.

"…more often than not, it's the parents who need to find their way again, perhaps they're beginning to fall out of love, perhaps they've lost their way…and sometimes they've just neglected their inner child…but when that happens, they often neglect their actual children – it's a heart-breaking sight – so, I'm content with the fact that I can help bring love back into those families…even if I can't help everyone…"

Bert slipped his arm around my shoulder and my mind became light from his touch.

"You're the most amazin' woman I've ever met, Mary…an' you do an amazin' job with all the families that you 'elp…you're one in a million, Mary Poppins"

People often told me how much they admired me for helping others, but I don't think anyone ever realised just how much Bert helped _me_.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Really hope you liked that! It would really mean a lot if you left a review.**

 **See you soon!**


	12. Chapter 12 - Confession

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Oh, I think you guys are gonna love this one! But, I'll give nothing away.**

 **Quick update, I have planned the next chapter of "A Life Worth Living" so I'll hopefully have that done so, but I have a huge mountain of work to do...but, updates should speed up by December! :P**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twelve - Confession**

A few years later something incredible happened and it shall remain one of the days that I'll remember for the rest of my life. It all occurred a few months after the last memory I told you about, but allow me to fully set the scene for you…

It was well into April and I had just finished with my latest family (the Clarke family, I believe) and – as always – I was rather disheartened about the situation. As I've said before, leaving families was always the hardest part of my job; it hurt every time, and, in all honesty, it never got easier. But, Bert knew this too, and so he called to me as I left – bringing me back to the ground. He knew straight away what had happened and I'm sure that my dismay was painted clearly across my face, so he insisted that I take a walk in the park with him; and even though I felt so blue, I knew that his company was the very thing I needed. I placed my hand in the crook of his arm and we strolled leisurely through the empty park – cherry blossom petals raining down on us as we did so.

"I know yer sad, Mary, but you've done an amazing job with the Clarke family…they'll be 'appy now" he said softly.

I sighed.

"I know…and I keep reminding myself that this is the way things should be…but that doesn't seem to cheer me up…"

"And there's nothin' wrong with that an' I know that deep down you're 'appy for 'em, but just because you still feel sad doesn't mean you're a bad person, it just means that you love 'em…"

"I don't think I can afford to love them…any of them…"

We stopped walking then and he turned to face me.

"Don't say that, Mary, there's nothin' wrong with love"

"It's just so painful"

"But you must now that not all love 'urts like this one does…you know that what you do is different…"

There was a pause.

"Do you know the sorts of women that become nannies, Bert?" I asked quietly.

"Huh?"

"The women than become nannies are those who are unsuitable for marriage, those who cannot find a husband…those who cannot be loved…"

"Mary, you don't really believe that you're like that, do you?"

"You know just as well as I do, Bert that I'm so…abnormal…do you really think my future can give me anything more than the life of a spinster?"

"Please don't talk about yourself like that, Mary…you're the most amazin' person I've ever met…an' whilst you may see yourself as abnormal, I see you as someone 'oo is truly, truly wonderful…"

I shivered as he looked deep into my eyes…I could've swore that time stood still in that moment.

"Oh, Bert…" I whimpered – fighting back tears.

"Listen, Mary, there's somethin' I've been meaning to tell ya for a long time now…" he began as he rubbed his palms together furiously, "…I'm…I'm not quite sure where t' begin…"

"Bert, is everything alright?"

"Y'see, I've been wanting to tell you this for so long, but…well, I've just been too afraid to actually say it…but I'm 'oping that I've finally worked up the courage…"

"Bert…"

I was terrified – wholly convinced that he was going to deliver some tragedy. I began to fear for his health, his work, for him…I was fearing every fathomable possibility.

He sighed heavily and wringed his hands together. His gaze didn't quite meet mine. I truly had no idea what he was thinking, but I remember seeing the fear and conflict flash in his eyes like a physical force.

"I've…I've got feelings for you, Mary…"

 _That_ was when time stood still. I wanted to say something, _anything_ , but instead, I just stood there, motionless. My gloved hand trembled slightly as it covered my mouth. My mind was a whirl.

"…what?" I eventually choked out, although, it was barely audible.

"I've got feelings for you…" he repeated, just as nervously as the first time, "…r-romantic feelings" he clarified minutely.

My world seemed to blur in that moment. Honestly, I don't think I was truly shocked by his confession…perhaps there was some part of me that always knew, but it had been so unexpected, and, in truth, I was scared. I know that it seems ridiculous to be scared of love, especially when it came to Bert, someone who had always been there for me; but, I had no experience with love and when I did feel it, it made me so unsure of myself.

My work kept me very poised and very controlled, I loved that discipline I made myself follow; when I was in control of myself I felt free because I knew that I could control myself, what I did and how I felt – in a way, it kept me free of worries because nothing was unknown. But romance, well, that was something very different – but I certainly couldn't deny it. Whenever I was around Bert, I found that my mind would often go blank and – more often than not – I would be positively flustered by his presence. There were even times, when he looked at me in a certain way, that my heart would do flips and my knees would go weak. It was something I wasn't used, it was something I couldn't control…It was something I loved and feared all at once.

It made me feel so dreadfully vulnerable too. I trusted Bert with my life, but trusting him with my heart seemed so much more daunting, I knew that romance meant the handing over of power…I doubted whether or not I was brave enough for that. To both give and receive such a thing.

"Bert…I…I don't know what to say…" It wasn't a lie.

I heard him sigh slightly.

"It's okay, Mary, I don't mind that y' don't feel the same way about me, but…can we still be friends? The last thing I want is for this t' ruin our friendship…" he croaked.

I was a bit shocked by this notion, because, when I looked up and into his eyes, I took in his softened features and I knew then that I was truly beginning to fall for this man. As always, my heart began to flutter stupidly and it was then that I decided to be a little braver and decided to let this feeling take me where it so wished.

"Whoever said that I didn't return your feelings?" I probed shyly.

When he processed my words, his mouth hung open ever so slightly.

"Mary…do you mean…" he trailed off, almost as if he didn't want to get his hopes up.

A slight smile spread across my face as my cheeks began to colour.

"Bert…I can't deny that I have feelings for you too…romantic feelings, of course, but, please forgive me because…" I swallowed hard.

He put his hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"…I'm scared, Bert…"

"Scared?"

"I've never felt like this before, about anyone…it's not a feeling I'm used to and it's not a feeling I trust…oh, Bert, there are times when I'm with you and I just can't think straight…it makes me feel so horribly out of my depth…"

Then he began to smile.

"Mary, I think that's 'ow your _supposed_ to feel"

"You think so?"

"I know so…I feel like that too…sometimes I'm just overwhelmed by…by 'ow much I care about you…" he blushed.

"Oh, Bert…"

"D'ya think you can give us a chance, Mary? I'm not askin' you t' sacrifice anything, but…I'd like to see if we can make somethin' work between us"

I took his hands in my own and smiled softly.

"I'd like that very much" I told him as my heart began to race with euphoria.

"Can I take you out for tea on Friday?"

"You may"

"Come on…" he said with the stupidest grin on his face, "…I'll walk you back to your uncle's house"

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: FINALLY! Right? I really hope you enjoyed that because I know that this story has been building towards them getting together, but the good news is that there's going to be loads more lovely Mary/Bert romance from now on! Yay!**

 **FUN FACT: I bought a cactus today and called it Julie! :P**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that and feel free to leave a review (they make my day).**

 **See you soon!**


	13. Chapter 13 - Seeing Stars

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Oh, I think you're going to like this one! Personally, I think it's another cute one - short but cute - but, hey, sometimes they can be the best!**

 **University essay and exam deadlines are very close now, but I will have a huge amount of time to write over December and January, so fear not!**

 **I hope you enjoy this!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Thirteen - Seeing Stars**

True to his word, Bert took me out for tea that following Friday and as much as it makes me blush to recall this tale, I simply couldn't leave this memory out of this collection.

It wasn't an awkward afternoon, in fact, it was very pleasant, but neither of us could deny that the atmosphere had changed between us…but I suppose that was understandable. He had taken me to a secluded little café so that we could have our privacy, and as lovely as it was, I just kept looking at him and still couldn't quite believe that Bert – the man who made my heart skip a beat every time he so much as looked at me – had admitted to having feelings for me. I shan't lie to you, it made me incredibly nervous. I had never had a relationship with anyone before and what I felt for Bert at this time was something very strong and I think deep down I knew it was something special, something more than a fleeting attraction or passing fancy.

I was scared of how much of an effect he had on me, I was scared of how my feelings may have had the potential to muddle my thinking, I was scared of how it could've made the amount of travelling I did harder…but mostly, I was scared of messing it all up somehow. Bert could sense (and could probably see) my nerves and shuffled in his seat.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

I smiled at him – it was small, but genuine.

"I'm fine, Bert" I assured.

"You sure? This 'asn't made you feel uncomfortable 'as it?"

I could see the worry painted across his face and the last thing I wanted him to do was to doubt himself, especially since I wanted nothing more than spend my time with him…and especially since I was so sure of my feelings for him. I reached across the table and took his hand in my own – giving it a gentle squeeze; it was something I'd done many times in the past, but it suddenly felt so intimate.

"I promise you, Bert, that I'm in no way uncomfortable…" I pauses for a moment, trying to figure out what to say and if I was brave enough to actually say it, "...I think it's going to take us some time to figure out this new dynamic between us, but…"

"But?"

"…but I want nothing more than to spend my time figuring it out with you" I blushed.

That's when I saw him truly relax and he beamed at me before bringing my hand to brush against his lips.

"You're truly wonderful, Mary Poppins"

"Oh, hardly" I excused as I felt my cheeks begin to flush.

The rest of our afternoon was much of the same, we talked to each other about everything, but also nothing in particular and subconsciously avoided the topic of when my next assignment may come along, we just wanted to enjoy our time together – especially since this was a situation like no other. I still couldn't quite believe it and I don't think Bert could either. It was strange, one could argue that there wasn't much to comprehend in the first place, it wasn't as if we'd suddenly began an instantaneous romance of blissful and unbridled passion, no, in fact, we were tentatively trying to figure out what exactly was happening between us and at what pace. And as nervous as it made me (made us both, in fact) I couldn't help but realise how natural it all felt…as if it had been a long time coming. I felt foolish for being so sure of myself so soon, but every time Bert's gaze met my own, my breath would be stolen from me and it would take a good few seconds for me to simply be able to think coherently. That was something I simply couldn't ignore.

We ended up – as we almost always did – taking a walk through the park and the cherry blossoms were as vibrant as ever. It was busy that day, children were just getting out of school and wanted to savour the heightened amounts of daylight that came with the glorious season. They chased kites and were simply living freely and as children should. I couldn't help but smile at it all.

"Bert, your flat is in the opposite direction" I pointed out as we eventually left the park together.

"I know…" he commented as he secured his grip on my hand, "…but I wanted t' walk you back t' your uncle's 'ouse"

"Such a gentleman" I giggled gratefully.

"If there's one thing y' can say about Bert Alfred, it's that 'e's a gentleman!" he preened.

"Well, that's very reassuring"

"You don't doubt it, do ya?" he asked – feigning offence.

"Oh, not at all" I giggled.

The light conversation made the journey back to my uncle's house abnormally short and we soon found ourselves lingering awkwardly outside of his front door.

"So…you've enjoyed today?" he asked nervously whilst rubbing the back of his neck.

I gave him a warm smile.

"Very much so. Thank you, Bert"

"It was an absolute pleasure, Mary Poppins"

A few seconds passed.

"So…uh…when do you think I'll see you next…I mean, I'm in the park most days what with the weather getting' better an' all…"

"I'll see you very soon, Bert, don't worry"

"I look forward to it"

It was funny, one simple confession of romantic affection and we were suddenly acting like awkward, love-sick teenagers. Bravely, Bert brought my hand to once again brush lightly against his lips, and the action made be blush ferociously.

"I'll see ya soon, Mary Poppins" he grinned.

He began to walk away and then I did something that was fuelled by every ounce of courage I had…

"Bert…" I called out softly.

As he turned I strode towards him with a terrifying mixture of confidence and fear and when I reached him, I leant up and pressed my lips softly to his.

Stars. That's what I saw, stars. It was our first kiss (in fact, it was my first kiss altogether) and it was the most magical thing I'd ever experienced. I had so much affection for this man – the one who had always been there for me – and to finally feel his lips against my own was indescribable…you'd need the work of a poet in order to do my feelings any justice. My hands rested lightly on his shoulders and his eventually found their way to my waist. I don't know how long we stayed like that, all I can remember is how utterly amazing it all felt. I remember the way my heart was pounding and how my knees became weak…it was like nothing else I'd ever experienced. I knew then that we really did have something special.

We eventually parted and for a short while neither of us said anything, we just gazed stupidly at each other. But after some time, a grin spread across Bert's face as he rested his forehead lightly against mine.

"That…" he whispered, "…was magical"

We both laughed.

"I'll see you soon, Mary"

"See you soon" I echoed.

He kissed me on the cheek before leaving. When he was out of sight it took all my strength not to collapse against the door with bewilderment; I had just kissed Bert and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I couldn't stop beaming and I had the overwhelming urge to scream with joy about the whole thing. But practically perfect people do not scream, so, I instead made my way into uncle Albert's home. He was sat at the kitchen table when I entered – a smug grin etched onto his face. Then I noticed the view he would've had from the kitchen window.

"Seems like you've had a rather eventful afternoon, haven't you, my dear?" he giggled.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you enjoyed that and I'd love to know what you thought of it! I have started working on the next chapter already so that should be up within a week or so (hopefully).**

 **See you soon! x**


	14. Chapter 14 - One Month

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey guys! SO here is the latest chapter - another fluffy one!**

 **Now, I've made the decision to not do anymore writing until this semester of university is over...I know that sounds a little intimidating, but it ends on Friday, it just means that there won't be any new chapters next week. But, as soon as all my exams and essays are done, I'll be straight back t writing again!**

 **So, thanks again for being so patient with me and chapter will be coming out a lot more frequently after the 8th of December (Whoop! Whoop!) - I also had the idea of doing a cute little Mary/Bert Christmas one-shot, so - if I find the time/inspiration - you can expect to see that!**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Fourteen - One Month**

Now, one thing I always loved about Bert was his seemingly everlasting positive attitude; even on the gloomiest of days, he could always be seen with a smile on his face. But there were times, when such an attitude would run away with him…or, that's how I sometimes viewed it. But, I'm here to tell the stories, not to criticise them.

My next assignment came a few days after the last memory I told you about, however, I was very lucky as the family I was caring for lived in central London – merely a stone's throw away from Bert. If my memory serves me correctly (which it usually does) it was the Rawcliff family, which meant that I was caring for five children of varying ages; it was one of my more difficult assignments, but that didn't mean that I loved them any less. However, I did treasure my day off and just so happens that that day was exactly a month after our first kiss – a fact the Bert was well aware of.

Bert was a screever that morning, so we had agreed to meet in the park and upon my arrival, Bert leapt from his 'workstation' and was beaming stupidly as I approached him. He had a couple of chalk smudges on his cheek. When I was close enough, he softly pressed his lips to mine and let them linger. The kiss was still rather tentative, but that didn't stop my legs from threatening to give underneath me. I felt flushed as he pulled away.

"Must you do that when we're in public?" I asked semi-seriously.

"Sorry, Mary…" he blushed, "…but I just wanted to celebrate the occasion."

I raised an eyebrow at him – genuinely unsure of what he was referring to.

"And what occasion might that be?"

"Our anniversary, of course!"

I blinked several times.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Our anniversary"

I continued to look at him with confusion.

"It's been exactly a month since we started courtin'!" he beamed.

I pinched the brim of my nose for a few seconds before rolling my eyes.

"You can't be serious?" I questioned – though, not without humour of my own.

"Oh, I'm serious…won't you agree that it's been a fine month together?"

"Oh, it has indeed, but a month is hardly worth celebrating"

"Well, that's where we disagree, Mary Poppins, y' see, I never thought I'd be lucky enough t' be with you, so I wanna celebrate every second of our time together!"

"Oh, Bert…" I blushed.

"I mean, a whole month! I can hardly believe it!" he said more to himself than to me.

"You really _are_ light-headed!" I laughed.

"But a month, Mary! Don't ya think it's flown by? An' don't ya think it's been the most special time of your life… -"

I could hardly disagree.

"-…it's been like an 'ole new adventure, just you an' me"

"Bert, whilst I do appreciate this wonderous flow of compliments, don't you think you're going overboard?" I teased.

His face softened and he simply smiled at me.

"Come on, I've drawn somethin' special for ya" he smiled as he took my hand.

He had indeed drawn something very special. As I looked down at his chalk creations I saw a beautiful river, a flourishing bank and the most mesmerising sunset I'd ever seen. I gazed down in fascination for a few elongated seconds.

"It looks beautiful" I breathed.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find it much more appealing once you're in it!" he smirked.

"Oh, will I?" I teased.

"Sure"

"Well, I suppose there's only one way to find out" I squeezed his hand and gave him a slight nod before we finally leapt into his drawing.

Gosh, it was so wonderful! The sunset gave the entire setting such a warm feeling, like it spread down from the sky, skipped across the river and wound its way around us…it was a perfect summer evening. So peaceful and so tranquil – so intrinsically beyond what we were used to in London. Of course, I loved my home, the city was so very alive, but there was nothing quite like being able to go into one of Bert's drawings and being able to appreciate the beauty of nature; to be in a place where time seemed to be non-existent…where everything seemed to almost stand still while also being so very alive. In these drawings you could sit back, take it all in with a breath of fresh, countryside air and just relax in a void separate from time. There are few things less soothing.

"It's absolutely stunning" I breathed as I let myself take it in.

With his hand still entwined with mine, I felt him press a kiss to my temple, it made my heart flutter – as it always did.

"Only the best for you, Mary Poppins"

We strolled peacefully as the freshly scented air whipped around us and the cool summer breeze was so soothing. We spoke about almost everything we could think of, but, in a way, it didn't matter too much, we just wanted to enjoy our time together, for I didn't know how long I'd be in London for. As we came towards the end of the river, Bert stepped in front of me and bent down to kiss me lovingly…and since we were alone, I was more than happy to let him do so. I couldn't help but smile into the kiss…it would take me a while to admit it, but he made me positively giddy.

"My, what was that for?" I teased softly as we parted.

"Because, Mary Poppins, today 'as been absolutely perfect, in fact, the last month we've spent together 'as been perfect too…"

"Bert…" I blushed.

"…I mean it, Mary…Never in my entire life did I think that'd I'd be lucky enough to be with someone as incredible as you; you're the most wonderful woman in the 'ole world" he breathed.

Whilst my heart fluttered at his comment, I felt it sink too.

"Thank you, Bert" I said softly, but the gusto was missing form my voice. My gaze dropped to my feet.

"Mary, are you alright?"

"I'm fine"

"Mary…I know when there's something you're not tellin' me…please, if you're upset or…or if I've upset you, then please tell me…"

"Please don't take this wrong way, Bert…" I began, but for once, struggled to find the words I needed, "…it's nothing you've done to upset me per se…you see, I adore all the compliments you give me, but sometimes, when you talk about me in such a way, well…it just makes me feel like I'm being put on a pedestal or that I'm something forbidden – something that cannot be touched…I sounds a little pathetic, but over the years, my practically perfect nature has attached itself to me quite permanently, it's made me feel a bit inhuman…whilst it's my goal not to be or appear weak, I cannot deny that I'm still very much human…I have feelings just like everybody else does…sometimes, despite my desires to be something more than the average woman…sometimes I just want to be perceived as normal…and to feel as such…" I trailed of there – still not meeting his gaze.

A few seconds passed where nothing was said, and I wondered if I'd upset him...but eventually, I felt Bert lift my chin so that my gaze met his own. He kissed me lightly.

"I really care about you, Mary Poppins, and I never want you t' feel bad about yourself ever again…you are everything you want to be…please know, that I only said those things because I wanted to please you…"

"…I know you did, Bert, please don't think anything of it"

"I can't disregard your feelings, Mary, but I to me, you really are somethin' incredible…but it goes beyond what so many others would only see as practically perfect…I see you for you, Mary, I hope you know that"

I just had to kiss him after that, didn't I?

"Don't ever think that you're not good enough, Bert…"

"I'm nothing special" he shrugged.

"Don't ever let me hear you say that again…" I said softly, "…you're the most wonderful person I've ever met…" I left my comment there – fearing where the sentiment would take me.

All he could do was smile at me and feather a kiss to my forehead.

"It's gettin' late, do y' need to be headin' back soon?"

"I'm afraid so..."

"Come on then, I don't wanna get you into trouble with your employers" he smiled.

Before he knew it, we were back in London. He walked me back to my employer's house under the warm glow of dusk – his hand perfectly entwined with my own. The entire journey was in a comfortable silence, but it was broken when he had brought me to my destination.

"Thank you for today, Bert, it was wonderful" I said truthfully.

"The pleasure was all mine, Mary…will I see you in the park anytime soon?"

"I'm almost certain of it" I smiled.

After making sure that no one was looking, he stepped forward and brushed his lips against my cheek.

"Happy anniversary, Mary" he grinned.

 ****!****

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, that was that! I really hope you enjoyed it and there's plenty more romance on the way!**

 **Please leave a review (pretty please) ;)**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	15. Chapter 15 - Alone With The Stars

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yo yo! So, my first semester of university is officially over! It's been a wild ride but I've really enjoyed it and of course, I love the fact that I've been able to keep writing fanfictions AND that you've all enjoyed them so much! Thank you so much!**

 **Now, I do still have a 3,000 word essay that's due at the very beginning of January...and I have to keep studying Japanese...and I'm going to Denmark and Sweden next week...but apart from that, I have all the time in the world until the end of January, so I'm hoping to get loads of writing done. I've started writing my Mary/Bert Christmas fanfiction, I've got loads of chapters for this planed out and I've planned the next chapter of "A Life Worth Living"!**

 **In addition to that, I have loads of ideas for Mary Poppins oneshots too, so hopefully I'll get those done soon because I'm really excited about them!**

 **Anyway, I'll stop talking now and let you do what I'm sure you came here to do, read this chapter! It's another short one, but the next one is going to be quite special!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Fifteen - Alone With The Stars**

One thing Bert and I always found ourselves doing was watching the stars. He would take me to one of his favourite spots on the rooftops and we would sit against the chimney stacks and watch the entire universe glitter before our very eyes. It was not uncommon for us to be joined by the sweeps, we would dance with carefree joy into the late hours of the night, singing and celebrating the happiness we took from the world – revelling in what we had. But, no matter what, Bert and I would always find some time for ourselves. In the cold night air, I would snuggle against him happily as I knew that we were away from the judgemental eyes of society and he would smile uncontrollably before pressing his lips to the top of my head. Oh, how perfect it was!

"Makes you feel small, doesn't it?" Bert whispered as he wrapped his arm around my frame and pulled me closer to him.

My gaze was fixed on the glittering sky.

"It really does" I breathed.

"D'ya ever think we'll be able to go up that far? All the way up to the moon?"

I smirked.

"What? You and I specifically?"

"Not us, but people in general…per'aps it's a silly thought, but I like t' think it could be true one day"

"Anything's possible if you believe hard enough" I whispered.

"I'd give you the moon if I could, Mary"

I giggled in response.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Bert!" I laughed.

"I mean it…" he chuckled as he leant closer to me, "…if you asked me for it, I'd do everythin' I could t' bring it all the way down 'ere and shrink it so you could wear it around yer neck!"

He kissed my cheek.

"You _are_ lightheaded!"

"And that's never gonna change" he chuckled.

"Oh, how wonderful!" I joked.

He brushed his nose against mine and I remember the strong flutter that arose in my heart – a feeling so strong that my breath was stolen from me; I had to take a few seconds to remind myself of how to breathe! I smiled softly as he caressed my lips with his own, they were so soft and he was always so gentle with me. The kiss was so loving, and whilst he still held back slightly (from fear of frightening me) – there was a streak of passion in it. I can remember bringing my hand up to his hair, running my fingers through his soft locks and pulling him in for a deeper kiss; I felt as if my whole body were on fire. I had never quite experienced anything like it, it made my limbs go weak and my mind was completely muddled –it was a feeling that I had been so scared of at first, but at this point in time, when it was just myself and Bert, all alone and in the midst of a moment of passion, I'd never felt better. The way the kiss was so fluid and so strong in its meanings...I'd never felt more alive.

I rarely demonstrated any affections in public (not that nights on the rooftop were at all public), but as our relationship grew, so did our adoration for each other. Whilst I would take his hand or his arm in the streets, an embrace or a kiss in such places was unheard of. I suppose I followed social etiquette as much as the next person. There were occasional exceptions, though…but those are stories for another time.

There were even times, when Bert and I would take my charges into his chalk drawings and we would sneak away and steal a few moments for ourselves; of course, I always put the children first and if they required my supervision then that's what they got. As passionate as I was with Bert, that passion never came before the wellbeing of my charges – but Bert felt exactly the same way. Still, when my charges would run off into the distances, shouting gleefully, Bert and I would find ourselves a nice private spot and exchange a kiss or two…sometimes along a river bank or behind a towering oak tree…I think we took shelter in an igloo once (that was a less successful location idea on Bert's part…I was never a huge fan of the cold). Of course, we never had long together since my duties always came first, but those stolen moments were always such a relief, after all, my employers and charges could never know of our relationship – it would've been most inappropriate, and they certainly would've complained. Only those closest to us knew.

Neither of us knew it at the time, but there would eventually come a day when we wouldn't have to hide anymore.

When our kiss broke, I'll never forget the look he gave me; he was ever so slightly out of breath, but his eyes glimmered like the stars and I felt as if I were the only woman in the entire world. There was such dedication in his gaze.

"You're more beautiful than all of the stars combined, Mary…" he whispered.

I almost cried. I truly felt like the luckiest woman that ever lived to have someone as loving as he was. But this was only the very beginning…

 ****!****

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, that's it! Another chapter down! I hope you enjoyed it! I know it was only short, but I think that you're really going to like the next one! (In fact, I think the next couple of chapters are going to be pretty enjoyable!)**

 **So, please let me know what you thought!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	16. Chapter 16 - The First Time He Said It

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew! It's so good to be writing again - oh, how I love the long university holidays!**

 **Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with my current fanfictions plans...again! So, simply stay tuned for more Mary Poppins stories and updates and please enjoy this new chapter!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Sixteen - The First Time He Said It**

But, of course, all good things must come to an end…as always, the winds changed, and I was destined to leave London. I wasn't sure how long I'd be gone for – I never was – but it seemed so much more painful this time. This was another thing that had initially made me fearful of romance, the heartache it could cause. In retrospect, it was perhaps an overreaction, but things were always easier when I was unattached to people; my judgement would never be clouded, and my pain would be minimal. But that was not the case in this instance.

Bert met me on the rooftops on the afternoon the wind changed – he could always feel it. His eyes had such hurt in them and I hated seeing him like that, he was always so cheerful and always smiling…yet, there he was, barely able to look at me without tearing up. We'd said goodbye so many times before – it had almost become natural – but this time it felt like such torture. Like our whole lives had been completely reversed. I had no idea what to say to him, I couldn't tell him that I wouldn't be away for long or that I'd see him soon, how could I? They would've been pie crust promises and I never made promises I couldn't keep. I never knew how long I'd be away and that was what made these goodbyes so much harder: the unknown. If the wind blew as such, I could be away for more than a year at a time. Furthermore, there was never any guarantee that we'd be able to travel to meet each other. Every time we said goodbye, there was a strong possibility that it could be for real…or, at least for a very long time…

After a prolonged silence, I took some slow steps towards him and took his hands in my own. He rested his forehead lightly against mine.

"Do you 'ave any idea 'ow long you'll be gone for?" he whispered slowly.

"No…I'm sorry…I never know where I'm going or how long for…the only thing we can do is hope that I won't be away for too long"

"I see…"

"But as soon as I arrive, I'll send you a letter and let you know of my whereabouts, then we can sort out if I'll be able to see you on my days off"

"Don't go out of yer way to see me if it's gonna be too much trouble" he reasoned.

"It's not too much trouble, not for you, Bert"

"I'm gonna miss you, Mary…so much"

"I'm going to miss you too, Bert…these last few months have been so wonderful" his voice was beginning to crack as he ran his hand lightly down my cheek before returning it to my own.

"They have…and it's not gonna be the same without you"

"I really hope that I'll be back soon and if I could promise you such a fact then I would…I hope you know that I don't to try and avoid causing you any extra pain?"

"I know you do…you're the most considerate woman I've ever met"

"Hardly" I replied – it was barely audible.

"Please don't put yourself down…"

At this point, the wind began to pick up, it was icy and cruel, and I couldn't help but resent it for its impatience; for how hard it was trying to drag me away from Bert. I tightened my grip on his hands and did my best to ignore the persistent tugging and harsh stabbings from the wind. Oh, I really didn't want to go, the first few months of our relationship had been so blissful and whilst I always said that I would never allow sentiment to cloud my judgement, this was one of the few times where I went against my own rule. I just wanted to stay with him, to live perpetually in that blissful time of our lives…it was a silly fancy.

"You need to go…" he murmured reluctantly.

"I know" I croaked.

With that, he leaned down and pressed his lips softly to mine. It was so sweet and so loving, it was a promise of his loyalty, that he would wait for me as he always had, that I knew my heart would be safe with him. The kiss assured me that I needn't worry, that he would always dedicate himself to me. I returned the kiss and subsequently returned those very same messages.

"I'll be 'ere when you get back"

"I know you will, Bert…you always have been"

"Don't stay away too long" he said with as big a smile as he could muster.

"I'll try" was all I could bring myself to say in response.

Reluctantly, I let my hands slip from his before stepping away and opening my umbrella. I had just started to feel the tug of the wind once again when he called out to me.

"Wait –"

I turned to look at him and there was a new emotion clouding his expression.

"Bert?" I questioned.

"I love you"

Suddenly I couldn't breathe. Before I knew it, I could not longer feel the wind, instead, all I could feel was the way my heart began to pound, and everything felt light.

"What did you just say"? I asked minutely.

"I love you, Mary Poppins…and I'm not sayin' it because I want you t' say it back, I'm sayin' it because I want you to know…I'm sorry if my sentiment 'as made you uncomfortable, but it's true, I love you…"

With my heart still racing, with my knees still weak, I dropped my umbrella and practically threw myself into his arms and kissed him passionately; as soon as I felt the contact this kiss became almost desperate – I was trying to draw out as much love from the kiss as I could…and we were pouring it in abundantly. His arms found my waist and he held me close to him as we deepened the kiss. They way our lips moved together so fluidly was hypnotic and it completely took my breath away; in that moment, the whole world went white. In that moment, it was just us. I was breathless when we finally broke apart and looked deep into his eyes…

"I love you too" I breathed.

How I wish I could've captured the smile he wore in that moment.

"I'll see you soon, Mary Poppins" he smiled before giving me one final kiss.

"See you soon" I allowed myself to say.

I'll never forget this moment, it's one of the memories that I hold close to my heart, for it set up the foundations for the wonderful future we would share together. But it also helped me to grow as a person; for a long while after this encounter, I did my best to not let sentiment muddle my thinking – fearing the pain in may cause – but that doesn't mean that my love for Bert ever faded. In fact, as time passed, it did quite the opposite.

 ****!****

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Cute, right? I was really looking forward to writing and publishing this one!**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed that - please let me know what you thought!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	17. Chapter 17 - Reunions And Routines

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Just another cute little one this week, but there's some really great stuff coming...plus, the next chapter will probably have some familiar faces in it!**

 **Thanks for reading and being so patience with me! I really hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Seventeen - Reunions And Routines**

After Bert and I had said "I love you" for the first time, my next assignment took me all the way to Paris. I was heartbroken. It was not the first time that the winds had carried me abroad, or to Paris for that matter; but as soon as I left London my heart began to ache. In fact, it ached the entire time that I was in France. The distance meant that I was unable to see Bert on my days off, and, oh, how desperately I wanted to be with him. My pain came in waves, whilst I was looking after a very pleasant family, there would be moments where everything seemed to stop and my loneliness would wash heavily over me, making me feel like I was on the verge of collapsing. It never affected my work, of course, but when I had my time alone, I was so distracted – a painful throbbing in my heart. On one occasion, I strolled through the city and saw a young couple in the distance; I could see the love so abundantly in their eyes that it made me want to weep…weep for Bert. They way they gazed at each other – as if the world didn't exist – that is how I was with Bert and I was missing it terribly. It felt like the longest month of my life…each day felt like its own battle.

But soon, the winds picked up again, and whilst I was extremely sad to be leaving (as I always was) I couldn't deny that there was twinge of hope within me; and I hoped with my whole heart that I would be carried for London…even if only for a short while. My wish was granted, for the wind carried me towards my home…towards Bert. I couldn't stop smiling, I was rarely so lucky. There had been times where we were apart for months with either limited time together or no time at all; but as our relationship grew, I made a promise to Bert that I would always do everything in my power to see him when I was working away from London…and I did.

But that didn't matter in this moment, because I was soon touching down in London and the wind carried me straight to Bert – who was waiting patiently on the rooftops. He had undoubtedly been there all morning after sensing the change in the winds; but he had waited – as he always did – and my heart was fit to burst at the very sight of him. And when I landed, and he smiled at me, it was all I could do to keep myself upright. Within seconds, I was in his arms and he held me so tightly – as if he might lose me. He kissed me longingly and his emotions flowed into the act. Our lips were so in sync – moving together so perfectly…deliciously…drawing us in – and it sent wave upon wave of warmth flowing through me until my chest felt like it was made of pure embers. I felt dizzy and breathless when our lips parted…

"Oh, Mary…" he breathed as he peppered kisses across my cheeks, "…I missed you so much…more than ever before…"

I clung to him too and tried to regulate my breathing as he buried his face into the crook of my neck – placing as many kisses there as possible.

"I missed you too…I tried so hard to enjoy Paris, but I simply couldn't, not when you weren't there"

He pulled away from my neck and looked straight into my eyes.

"London just wasn't the same without you, Mary"

"I've missed it terribly"

"Are you between assignments at the moment?"

"That's the way it seems" I replied quietly.

"I see…" his tone was slightly lower – knowing that I could be whisked away by the winds any day.

"So…" I said brightly, "…we must value every moment we have together!"

He beamed at me with soft eyes.

"I love you, Mary Poppins" he said warmly.

I leant up and kissed him delicately.

"I love you too…now, come…" I smirked, taking his hand, "…I believe a 'jolly holiday' is in order"

That became our routine. Whether I had been away from London for weeks or months, our reunions always made us breathless. Things were easier when we were able to travel and spend my days off together, but it didn't lighten the heartache by much. And we weren't always so lucky. I was often sent far from London, to all corners of England where travelling would be too implausible or not worth it when considering the time it took. But when we were back together, the absences all seemed to be worthwhile, for when I was back in his arms, with his lips on my own…well, it was pure magic…a magic that – thankfully – would continue for years to come.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you enjoyed that - please let me know what you thought!**

 **The next chapter will be up soon! xx**


	18. Chapter 18 - The Banks Family

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Guys, I'm so sorry that this has taken so long, but I'm hoping that this extra long chapter will make up for it...plus, I think you're going to really enjoy the next chapter too!**

 **I'm hoping to upload the final chapter of "A Life Worth Living" soon and I have also uploaded a brand new one-shot called Awkward Encounters" - which I'm quite proud of! Furthermore, I also have ideas for Dick Van Dyke Show and Sound of Music fanfictions too!**

 **Anyways, enjoy this chapter - it's a sort of hidden moments thing! x**

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Eighteen - The Banks Family**

Now, I simply couldn't write down my fondest memories without including my time with the Banks family, not only were they a family that worked their way right into my heart, but they also became life long friends. Not only that, but it was quite a marvellous time for Bert and I too. You see, by this point, Bert and I had been courting for about a year and a half, but before I came to the Banks family, I had been away from London for almost eight months…and we'd barely seen each other. In fact, over the course of those eight months, I'd say that we probably didn't get to meet more than three times…it was quite a low time for us both. Still, the wind eventually carried me back to London and there was an almost uncomfortable sensation of anticipation that pulsed through me as the familiar sights of the city came into view, it wasn't that I didn't want to see Bert again – not at all – but it had been so long and I was just so nervous…so excited; I had been longing for his embrace, to just be near him and now when the moment was mere minutes away, I just didn't quite know how to react.

But, as was his custom, he met me on the rooftops and I could barely breathe as I saw him again. He gave me that smile… _his_ smile…and I could hardly believe that he was there, standing in front of me. It felt like no time had passed at all. My heart began to pound as it always did in these situations and an infectious smile spread across my now flushed cheeks. I was home. Without letting another second pass, I practically dropped my umbrella and carpet bag and strode towards him, a purposeful – perhaps even desperate – stride that he met half way. Then I was in his arms. I latched onto him, desperate to keep myself in his embrace for as long as I could.

"Welcome 'ome, Mary" he whispered into my hair.

"Oh, it's so good to be back" there was a twist of desperation in my voice.

"I've missed you so much" he said before kissing me longingly.

"I've missed you too"

"So, are y' between jobs again?"

"No, I actually have an assignment waiting for me"

"You do?" he questioned – not quite understanding.

"Yes…but I wanted to see you first"

Another intoxicating smile spread across his features before he pecked my lips with his own.

"So, that means you'll be in London for a little while" he stated giddily.

"It does indeed"

"Well…" he began as he tightened his hold on me, "…I think that makes today the most perfect day!"

"Oh, you're positively ridiculous!" I scolded playfully.

"You make me that way, Mary!"

I couldn't help but trace my fingertips down the sharpness of his jaw – gazing stupidly into his eyes. Gods, I'd missed him so much, absolutely everything about him; his smile, his voice, his intoxicatingly cheerful nature…the way he held me, kissed me…the way he made me positively silly. The way he loved me. As the wind – still intent on taking me to my new charges – whipped around us with shrill whistles, I leant up and captured his lips again; they were as soft as ever and the kiss instantly drew me in to what felt like a whole new world. After so long, it felt like sheer bliss. We stayed close when we parted.

"Listen, Mary, as much as I would love t' 'ave you to myself all day, I think it's time y' went to your new employers"

"Of course" I breathed, straightening myself out within his arms.

"Where are ya gonna be?"

"17 Cherry Tree Lane"

"Oh, that's just down from the park…you'll be able to see me whenever ya want!" he winked.

"Tell you what, if everything goes well this morning, I'll bring them down to the park…assuming you'll be there?"

He brushed his nose against mine.

"Of course I'll be there…in fact, I'm technically already there"

I raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"I was working as a screever this morning, but made my way up 'ere when I saw ya comin' down t' London…so, I kinda got all me drawings down there"

I shook my head lightly and tutted.

"Okay, well, I guess I'll see you in a couple of hours" I said softly – reluctantly moving out of his embrace.

"See you soon" he said with a warm smile.

 **0ooooooooooooooooo0**

As he had told me, Bert was at the park that afternoon, and, as I had promised him, I arrived there with my charges. I found him hunched over his drawings and simply couldn't resist the urge to admire him as he worked, I had always been a poor artist, so to watch Bert create such masterpieces always seemed so magical to me. But the minute he saw my shadow, he stopped completely – a ridiculous grin raining across his face.

"Wait! Don't move! Don't move a muscle!" he toyed as he traced my shadow, "I'd know that silhouette anywhere…Mary Poppins!" he exclaimed.

I smiled tenderly, he needn't have made such a fuss, after all, he'd seen me a few hours ago…but it warmed my heart nonetheless.

"It's nice to see you again, Bert" I greeted – making sure that our relationship was hidden, "I expect you know Jane and Michael?" it was a silly question really, Bert seemed to know everyone in London!

He put on a show for my charges as he always did – he had always been a performer – and Jane and Michael warmed to him instantly, of course, all of my charges that met Bert had adored him, but there was something a bit different about these two, I wasn't quite sure of it at first, but from the moment I met them, there seemed to be a connection between us – something that went beyond the basic bond between a nanny and her charges. Of course, I know now that my instincts served me well, Jane and Michael were special and I'm so glad that the two of them, their parents and their future siblings all remained great friends throughout the years.

It was a custom of ours to take my charges into one of his pavement pictures, regardless of how much I would 'protest' and my time with Jane and Michael proved to be no different. Bert had drawn a beautiful meadow and being able to spend some private time with him was simply perfection. The way he sang to me made me giddy…I thought at one point that my eyes watered – but I highly doubt that! I sang to him too, of course, praising him as he deserved to be praised. He had been my best friend for years and now I was lucky enough to be the one that held his hand, to savour his warm embrace and to know that I was the one he loved…to know that I could love him back.

We danced together once the penguins had finally given us some privacy and I could help but beam at him – his eyes never leaving mine. It had been so long since we danced that I had almost forgotten what it felt like, how wonderful it was and how connected I felt to him. His hand stayed respectively on the small of my back – holding me close to him – and his other hand fit perfectly in mine, We swayed gently, like we were floating on a cloud…in fact, even gentler than that, like a feather coming down from daybreak's light breeze. Oh, I know it all sounds so sickeningly sentimental, but do try and understand that I had so much love for this man and after so much time apart, simply being near him was a dream come true.

"I still can't believe you're 'ere!" he chuckled softly as we continued to dance.

His smile was like the purest sunlight. I gave him a slight chuckle.

"I'm finding it a little hard to believe too…but I'm certainly not going to stop and question it"

"Me neither…I'm gonna savour every moment that you're in London, even if I'm not with ya!"

"Isn't that a little pointless?"

He shook his head and smiled.

"London is different when you're 'ere, Mary, I keep tellin' ya, happiness follows you wherever y' go and you make the sun shine brighter!"

"Oh, you're ridiculous!" I teased.

"I do apologise, madam, but you see, the woman I love 'as just come back to me after eight months an' I 'ave to admit that I'm rather excited about it"

"You compliment me too much" I laughed.

"Can you blame me?"

"Are you quite finished with all of the flattery?"

Not that I truly wanted him to stop.

"For now, but I'm sure there will be more t' come later" he winked.

At some point we had stopped dancing and when I realised this I noticed how close our faces were; normally I would never dream of indulging in acts of affection with Bert when I was working – even if my charges were out of sight – but it had been so long and I had missed him more than I could convey. So, I couldn't stop myself and before I knew it, I found myself leaning towards him and he met me halfway in a kiss that started out so soft, so delicate…but after a while, neither of us could stand the tenderness and our kiss became fiery. His hands rested firmly on my hips and mine were on his chest, shoulders, neck, hair – anything I could find! We kept our bodies as close as they could possibly be and soon I had forgotten about everything apart from him.

We parted only when our need to breath became too great to ignore, but there was a strange sensation inside me when I looked back at him – something that almost made me feel fearful. Sure, Bert and I had had our passionate moments in the past, but that kiss had been…different, stronger somehow. It had been like a sharp electric current and I could feel it buzzing all around me. Something had shifted between us, I felt different, but it wasn't a bad different, there was something strangely delicious about it all; I found myself just wanting to be as close to him as possible…wanting something more than what we had – but not knowing what.

I coughed lightly and took a slight step back – but remained in his hold.

"I – uh – think we should probably go and find Jane and Michael now" I smiled – trying to hide my blush.

"Let's go"

We walked hand-in-hand until we were in sight of the children.

 **0oooooooooooooooo0**

As was the case with all of my assignments in and around London, I wasn't sure when I would next see Bert; once the brisk walk through the rain to number seventeen was over, I had assumed that we probably wouldn't see each other until my day off, but, as always, he surprised me. Once Jane and Michael were asleep that night – exhausted from their time in the chalk drawing – I made my way into my own room. I had started to pull the pins from my hair when I heard a faint rustling from outside the window. I remember rolling my eyes.

"Bert, you'd better not be in that tree" I said in a hushed voice – not looking away from the mirror.

There was a slight pause.

"What would ya do if I was?"

I bit back my smile.

"Bert, this is hardly the time for games"

That's when I finally moved over to the window and after leaning out of it, found Bert perched on the branch that was too thin for my liking.

"'oo says I'm playin' a game? Just thought I'd come an' pay ya a visit" he beamed.

My face softened slightly.

"And why did you think that was appropriate?"

He could tell I wasn't being completely serious.

"Maybe I just wanted to see you?" he shrugged.

"Bert, you saw me a couple of hours ago"

"You've been away for eight months, Mary, those few hours in the chalk drawing weren't enough…an' I'm a selfish man" he smirked.

"You're not, but I appreciate the sentiment"

I let him lean forward and peck my lips.

"But what I _don't_ appreciate is you risking your own safety just so you can come and speak to me in the middle of the night"

"Relax, Mary…I'm a chimney sweep, after all"

"Yes, but chimneys don't snap when there's too much weight on them"

"Sorry" he chuckled.

"Apology accepted…but don't make a habit out of this!" I warned.

"Cross me 'eart and 'ope to die" he smiled, "…so, what d'ya think of Jane and Michael?"

"They're really quite lovely…I like them very much"

"They do seem like nice kids…don't seem 'em spending much time with their parents, though"

"I've noticed that too…I think it's Mr and Mrs Banks that need help, not the children"

"You think so?"

"I do…they're so caught up in their own worlds that they seem to have forgotten about Jane and Michael…I just hope I can fix it before they regret it"

He leant closer and smoothed his hand across my cheek. I shivered slightly.

"You will, love, you always do…an' I'm 'ere to 'elp if ya ever need me"

"Thank you, Bert" I whispered – still stupidly captivated by the feeling of his hand.

"I'll let you go now…" he withdrew his hand and I began to feel cold, "…I've already overstayed a welcome that wasn't even offered to me" he joked.

"Your visit was most pleasant…but far from appropriate" I teased back.

"Guess I'll just 'ave to wait until your day off" he smiled.

There was nothing crude in his speaking, but I suddenly felt the most violent flutter coarse through me, spiking through my veins and creating a war in my stomach. I shivered again and I made a conscious effort to not let my jaw drop.

"I'll see you soon, Bert" was all I managed to say before leaning further out the window and kissing him softly.

"See you soon" he echoed as he retreated from the window.

"Bert…"

"Yeah?"

I blushed.

"I love you"

His smile could've melted the artic.

"I love you too"

 **0ooooooooooooooooooooo0**

Of course, I ran into Bert the next day, it was entirely unplanned, of course. You see, my uncle Albert had one of his episodes that morning and since Bert had become so close to my uncle, well, he was there even before I was! Luckily for us, this occasion wasn't nearly as exhausting as the last one; I think having Jane and Michael there helped…even if they ended up on the ceiling with my uncle…and Bert. Luckily, we were out after only a few hours and I left Bert with my uncle – which I can only assume went to plan since I heard no whispers of my uncle struggling to keep his feet on the ground.

The next time I saw Bert was my day off. We met for tea that morning and tried to make the most of our time since Bert was unable to get out of working with the sweeps that day. Still, we felt blessed to have this time together. We spoke frequently about the past eight months, but there wasn't too much to talk about since we would exchange letters whilst I was away. In fact, for the most part, we sat in a comfortable silence, gazing at each other – almost not believing that we were back together after so long. Eight months may not seem like so long, but being apart from the person you love with no way of being with them…it's a whole new ache in your heart…a whole new emptiness. I remember how he slipped his hand into mine and its warmth spread through my entire body. I couldn't stop smiling at him.

"Gods, I've missed you so much" he breathed.

"I've missed you too"

"'ow long do you think you've got left with the Banks family?"

I stiffened and that's when his smile fell.

"I see…" he said sadly.

This was always the worst part, we both adored it when I was in London, but the goodbyes never got easier.

"I really don't think I'll be around for much longer…I might have a week left or…I might only have a day or two…I'm sorry, Bert" my voice was barely above a whisper.

"'ow many times do I have to tell you? You don't need to apologise, I know you can't control when the wind will change or 'ow long an assignment will take…I'm just so grateful that you're back – even if it's only for a little while"

"I know, Bert, and I'll never be able to thank you enough for how good you are to me, but…but I just can't help but feel guilty, I feel like I'm somehow cheating you, I'm here the one minute and everything is lovely and then I'm suddenly gone again…it's not fair on you, Bert, it never has been…" I tried so hard to not let my voice crack.

"Mary…" he swallowed hard, "…are you – are you splitting up with me?"

My eyes flew open.

"Goodness! Of course not, Bert, despite all of the aches and pains my occupation causes, I still love you…sometimes you're what keeps me going…I just…needed to voice my feelings"

His face softened with a heavy sort of relief.

"I love you too, Mary Poppins, an' I never want y' to feel bad; waiting for you is the choice I make, and if it means I can be with you, I'll keep making it until the day I die"

If we had been somewhere private, I would've kissed him positively silly.

"Come on…" he said, "…let's go for a walk in the park, I've only got an hour or two before I need to meet with the sweeps"

The stroll through the park was simply wonderful, it was practically deserted – making it so tranquil. My hand was delicately entwined with his and everything was so perfect; in fact, when I was sure that we were out of sight, I snuggled into him as we walked. His arms slipped around me and held me tenderly – I practically melted into him.

"How was my uncle afterwards? Was he okay?"

"Yeah, he was fine, took me a while to calm 'im down, but we got there in the end"

"And he didn't mind you leaving?"

"Nah. After a while 'e insisted that I leave since 'e didn't wanna take up me precious time"

I smiled fondly.

"I'm glad he's recovered…I do worry about him"

"I know you do, but 'e's better than 'e used t' be…let's not forget the three-day fiasco we 'ad a couple of years back!" he chuckled.

"I suppose you're right…I don't think Mr and Mrs Banks would've appreciated it if I took Jane and Michael to one of those" I giggled. So did Bert.

"I think you're right…so, 'ow are Jane an' Michael?"

"They're both doing well…such lovely children"

"What are they up t' today?"

"Their father has taken them to the bank"

"The bank?"

I nodded.

"I'm hoping that it may bring about some sort of epiphany in him"

"Not a bad idea…still I'm surprised 'e went along with it"

"It didn't take much" I smirked.

"'ave you been puttin' ideas into people's 'eads again?" he asked mischievously.

"Oh, please! The very idea!"

All he could do was laugh lightly.

"Well, I 'ope it all works out!" he said cheerfully.

"If it does…you know I'll have to leave, right?"

We stopped walking and he moved in front of me.

"I know…but at least the Banks family will be as they should be"

"You're a diamond, Bert" I said softly as I caressed his cheek.

"So you keep sayin'!" he smirked.

Soon after – too soon for my liking – Bert's time with me drew to a close and we parted with a kiss as we always did…But, Bert always had a funny way of cropping up when I least expected him to; after spending the remainder of my day with my uncle, I returned to the Banks household to find Bert, who was positively filthy and in front of the drawing room chimney. My heart practically leapt through my chest – but I kept my composure as I made my presence known.

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but we all ended up with the chimney sweeps that night. Normally I wouldn't take my charges out on such an escapade, but I supposed that it couldn't hurt just this once, besides, Jane and Michael were too special to deny them such an experience…and, if I'm being completely honest, I was rather desperate to see the sweeps again; much like Bert, they always knew how to make me laugh. It was a truly wonderful night and the sweeps put on quite a show for us all – Bert included. He pulled me in for a dance that night and whilst a very strong part of me wanted to scold him for his bold and very public actions, I just couldn't resist, the call of his arms was just too strong and before I knew it, there I was, bounding across the rooftops. But, once again, I supposed that it would be okay just that once.

The night culminated in a rather explosive way – we have Admiral boom to thank for that – and once things had finally calmed down, I was almost sure that the winds were going to change. I had a way of just knowing. I could sense it physically of course, but even before the pull of the winds, the look in Mr Banks face told me that changes were afoot, that _he_ was about to change…I knew that once he did so, my time with the Banks family would be up. There was strange ache in my heart once I came to that conclusion. As I have said in many of these entries, leaving the families I worked for was always so hard, but the Banks family were different, they became so special to me. I tried to avoid loving the families that I knew I would never see again, but I couldn't deny myself a love for the Banks family, they just got inside my head…inside my heart. I tried not to think about it too much, but I couldn't deny that I was hurting, that I was going to miss them so deeply. Instead, I put on a brave face and did my best to not let it show. But as I tucked them in bed for the last time, it was all I could do to not weep in front of them.

When I got back to my room that night, I felt it. The winds had changed, and I was due to leave. I felt my chest constrict, I really didn't want to go. Not only did I want to stay because of Jane and Michael, my uncle, or London…but I wanted to stay for Bert; I wasn't sure how long I'd be away after this assignment and I didn't know how long I'd be able to stand the separation. But that night, I saw Bert again. He tapped lightly at my window and scared me half to death. He gave a small smile as he watched me startle at the noise…but his eyes were sad. Pushing propriety aside, I let him climb into my room and as soon as he was in, I all but threw myself at him. Our lips came together passionately – spreading soot across the cheeks I had cleaned only ten minutes ago – but I didn't care. I just wanted him, wanted to be with him, near him…in his arms.

"I felt the winds change" he whispered when we parted.

"I know…I expect that I'll be leaving quite soon tomorrow"

"That's why I'm 'ere now"

"I don't understand"

"I'm sayin' my goodbye now…I know that these kids are special to ya, so I thought I'd let you 'ave your final moments with 'em tomorrow – one less thing to worry about – then y' can let the winds take you wherever you're needed – no distractions"

"You, Bert Alfred, are the most wonderful man that has ever walked this earth" I said – quite seriously.

"As long as you're 'appy, then it's enough for me"

Running a hand through his hair, I pulled him down for another kiss, one that was slow, deep and sensual…I hoped to convey the sheer amount of love I had for him and how much I was going to miss him. His hands were on my hips – perhaps even slightly lower – and he pulled me against him. I laced my hands behind his neck to steady myself – quite sure that my knees could buckle at any moment. I was aching for more contact, for more time with him…aching simply for more of Bert, but I pulled away after a very long while – fearing that if we kept going, that I might not have the strength to stop myself. I buried my face into the crook of his neck, memorising his scent.

"I'm going to miss you so much" I whimpered.

"I'm gonna miss you too…but I know we'll see each other soon, I'll be counting the seconds an' when we finally do meet, it'll all be worth it"

He gave me one final peck on the lips before climbing out the window.

"I love you, Mary Poppins" he said with a strong sense of certainty.

"I love you too, Bert"

And then he was gone.

 **0oooooooooooooooooooo0**

As suspected, I left the Banks family that morning, and aside from saying goodbye to Bert, it was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do. Jane and Michael wept profusely as I packed away my belongings and I felt as if I was on the very edge of doing the same. Never had I found it so hard to stay composed. But as I watched the entire family skip merrily to the park, I couldn't help but smile; my eyes may have been sad, but in my heart, I knew that all was well. I couldn't deny the happiness that dwelled within me at the sight of them back as they should be, together and loving. I knew that they'd be fine, and I hoped with my whole heart that I'd see them again – even if it was just in passing.

Luckily for me, I got my wish. I did see the Banks family again and as I said before, they became very close friends of myself and Bert and they also became a pinnacle part of our future. But this tale, is still only the very beginning.

 ****!****

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you enjoyed that! The next chapter should be up soon!**

 **Please leave a review! xxx**


	19. Chapter 19 - A Christmas To Remember

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Oh, I think you're going to like this one...well, I hope so anyway! It's another short one, but it's sweet and does everything it needs to. Oh, and this is where the Mary and Bert fun really begins!**

 **Just to say, I go back to uni next week so updates may slow down, but I'll try and avoid that.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Nineteen - A Christmas To Remember**

Another Christmas with Bert rolled around, and although I didn't know it at the time, it would end up being one of the best days of my life. I hadn't stayed with him at his apartment (we needed to be proper, after all) but both Christmas eve and Christmas day were spent in his wonderful company. I couldn't have asked for anything more! He took me up to the rooftops on Christmas eve, and as much as I adored the sweeps, it was nice to have some time alone – since it could often be a rarity. We sat there for what seemed like hours, cuddling under the embrace of a warm blanket and the clean glow of the moon. Stars were endlessly sprinkled across the clear sky that night and at some point, between a content silences and easy conversation, I saw a shooting star. I was never one for superstition or fairy-tale beliefs, but I _did_ believe in magic (of course), so, I wished upon the shooting star that night, wished that Bert and I would always be this happy and that we would be able to share and long and happy life together. It was all I ever wanted. As I made my wish, I turned to him and punctuated it with a kiss…it was almost as if it'd already started to come true. But the next day would prove to be even more incredible.

The next day, naturally, was Christmas day and Bert had promised to cook for me. I had arrived at his apartment earlier than he'd requested with the hope of being able to offer some assistance, but with a lopsided grin, he placed a glass of wine in my hand and sat me on the small sofa at the end of his bed and insisted that I relax. He assured me that he had everything under control, but I wasn't completely sure if I believed him. Still, I did as I was told and did my best to relax…even though being idle wasn't number one on my list of favourite things. I watched him as he moved around the small kitchen area rather naturally, and true to his word, he did seem to have everything under control. But what I truly admired was how he made sure to constantly engaged me in easy and loving conversation – no matter how busy or frantic he seemed to be – he wordlessly assured me that _I_ was his number one priority, not the food.

Despite any humorous doubts I had about him, the meal was really rather lovely. Simple. Traditional. Perfect. Conversation flowed easily as we ate, discussing some of our favourite moments from the past year…1910 had certainly been an interesting one and Bert assured me that it would continue to be. I wish I'd taken more notice of his claim at the time…

"I think perhaps one of the most enjoyable times of the year had to be my residence with the Banks family" I stated.

"Oh, I agree! They're such lovely kids…plus, it was great 'aving you back in London again!" he winked.

I chuckled softly.

"Do you see them often? Jane and Michael?"

"Oh, 'ere and there…they go t' the park with their mum and dad quite a lot, so, it's nice t' see that Mr and Mrs Banks are still makin' time for them"

"I'm glad" I said warmly.

"I know you probably don't wanna 'ear this, but they miss you a lot" he told me gently.

"I miss them too…" I sighed.

I could see Bert's feature constrict slightly…he felt guilty for bringing my sadness up to the surface.

"They always ask about you, where you are and 'ow you're doin'"

"And what do you tell them?"

"I never tell 'em your location, I just say that you're 'elping another family that needs you…an' I tell 'em that you're doing well, that you're thinking about 'em…and that you miss 'em"

I gazed at him.

"I know I wouldn't normally say it t' any of your other charges, but I think we both agree that Jane an' Michael were special to us both…I think they deserve the sentiment"

"I think so too"

"You okay?" he asked softly.

His concern made me smile warmly at him.

"I'm fine" I assured him with that same smile.

"You sure? Because I won't 'ave any sadness – not on Christmas day!" he proclaimed as he began to clear away our now empty plates.

"Please, Bert, at least let me help you"

"Nu-uh! Not today, Mary, you just relax"

"Oh, you can be so exhausting sometimes!" I teased.

I lost the battle of the dishes with Bert and was once again subjected to relaxation…I know it doesn't sound like the worst punishment, but you should know by now that I'd never enjoyed sitting around and doing nothing…especially when someone is doing the work right in front of me! Still, eventually everything was clean, and we moved to embrace on the small sofa – whispering small words of love to each other. I distinctly remember tracing my finger tips down the sharpness of his jaw as he tenderly caressed my side, I had been working away from London at the beginning of December, so we hadn't had much time together…being back with him was just so overwhelming. I leant in and kissed him softly, just wanting to feel his lips against mine and to have him hold me close. The kiss eventually deepened and when our tongues began to slowly dance, I lost all sense of the world. The kiss had such a hypnotic rhythm and our lips managed to move together in perfect sync; we were breathless when we pulled away and for a few moments he simply gazed at me.

"Am I allowed t' give you yer Christmas present now?" his tone was mostly mischievous, but there was something else there too, an emotion I couldn't quite identify.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"If you must, you must" I teased.

"Well, I must!" he laughed.

He shuffled out of our embrace and pulled a small wrapped box from his pocket…I wondered if he'd had it in there all day. I took it from him with a gracious thank you and began to delicately undo his artistic wrapping. Beneath the paper was a small black box, confirming that it was some kind of jewellery. Without looking at him, I opened the box and nearly dropped it from the sheer sight of what it held. A ring. I felt my breath completely leave my body, my heart leapt into my throat and the butterflies that had apparently taken residence in my stomach began to flutter. I thought surely this couldn't mean what I thought it meant? Surely it was just a ring and I was expected to ignore the insinuation behind the simple jewel that glittered in front of me. I felt frozen, almost to afraid to turn to Bert and have an answer given to me; but then I felt him take my hand.

The sensation prompted me to look at him and I gasped audibly. He was now kneeling in front of me. He wore a nervous and loving smile – his eyes flashing with the fidelity that he was obviously about to promise. I think I started crying slightly.

"Mary Poppins…" he began – trying desperately to not get choked up, "…firstly, I just wanna say that I love you so much an' whatever 'appens today won't change that…" he took a shaky breath, "…I've been thinkin' about this for a long time – wondering if it was the right thing to do – but after so many years of knowing each other, I've realised two things, one: That I love you deeply – more than I ever thought possible – and two: that I wanna spend the rest of my life with you…"

"Oh, Bert…" I sighed – blinking back tears.

"I want you t' know that I'm not asking you t' give anything up, I know 'ow much you love being a nanny and I'd never dream of keeping you from that if it's you 'eart's desire, I'm not asking you t' just be an 'ousewife, I know that you've always been destined for something greater…but I am asking you to let me some kind of anchor for you, to know that we can keep going…Mary Poppins, will you marry me?"

I don't think there are words strong enough to describe how I felt in that moment. It was a delicious mix of some many emotions, elation, fear and complete adoration for the wonderful that was gazing at me so lovingly. He knew just what to say, how to craft a proposal that was perfectly suited for me. It was true, it didn't want to give up my work – at least not yet – and I was fearful of the unknown, of such a commitment…but I knew that I loved this man with all my heart, like Bert had said, I loved him more than I ever thought possible and as I had proven to myself the night before, my one wish was to be able to have a life with him. I squeezed his hand to stop my own from shaking…I was almost certain that my heart was about to burst.

"Bert Alfred…" I began – trying to stop my voice from quivering, "…it would be an _honour_ to call myself your wife"

With his eyes gleaming, a ridiculously large smile began to spread across his face as he processed what I'd just said.

"So…so that's a yes?"

"It's a yes!" I conformed gleefully – no longer fighting my tears.

"Oh, Mary!" he exclaimed as he sat back on the sofa and pulled me into his arms, "Oh, Mary I love you so much!"

"I love you too" I breathed.

It all felt so blissful. Like a dream. He took the box from my hand, removed the ring and gently slid it on to my finger – savouring every second of the action. He kissed my hand once the ring had found its home.

"Mary, I know it may all seem a bit up in the air right now, but I promise you that we'll make this work, okay? No matter where you are or 'ow long you're away for, we'll make it work! I'll always be waiting for you, as long as you're 'ere to love me, then I'll be 'appy"

"I don't deserve you" I breathed.

"You deserve nothing but the best, Mary Poppins"

"It'll be Mary Alfred soon" I smirked.

"Mary Alfred…" he pondered, "…it 'as quite a nice ring to it"

"It does indeed" I chuckled.

He pulled me in for a languid kiss – it was so full of meaning and I knew that every single one of his promises would be kept. I was unsure of how smooth the journey would be, but I knew that we would make it work. I would do anything for him. When our kiss came to an end, he rested his forehead against mine and looked deep into my eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Mary" he whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Bert"

He kissed me again, slowly, sensually…lovingly. If only I could've capture how I felt in that moment, to be able to replay it and feel it physically would be a dream come true. In that moment, I was certain that my life couldn't get any better. But, oh, how wrong I was…

 ****!****

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I have to say, I'm really very pleased with that one and I hope you are too!**

 **Hopefully I'll see you soon and I;ll do my absolute best to post another chapter before I go back to uni!**

 **See you soon! - And please leave a review! xxx**


	20. Chapter 20 - Wedding Plans

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Greetings, you beautiful people! Since I go back to university on Saturday, I have decided to gift you with another chapter! It's only short but, it is - in my, probably not so humble opinion, very romantic - plus, THE WEDDING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!**

 **So, I've just been looking at my timetable for my next uni semester and I have a lot more free time, so as long as I don't have too much work and am able to balance my studies well, updates should still be pretty regular!**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty - Wedding Plans**

Wedding preparations were easier said than done, I had taken another nannying position to help with the costs, which meant that that a lot of the organisation could only be completed on my day off. Of course, Bert was very capable of handling whatever needed to be handled, but he never liked making any decisions without first finding out what I wanted and preferred. I assured him time and time again that all I wanted was a simple wedding, and that the most important thing was for us to marry; I would've been perfectly content to run off to a registry office and marry him one afternoon, after all, all I wanted was to be his wife. But he insisted that we should have an actual wedding and, deep down, I wanted that too. Simply thinking about walking down the aisle in a flowing gown made me hold my breath with euphoria.

On one of my days off, Bert moved towards the small sofa in his flat – two cups of tea in his hands and a smile on his face. He continued to smile even as he sat next to me and handed me my beverage.

"What are you smiling at?" I questioned lightly.

"Nothing" he smirked, "Now, what're y' thinkin' in terms of flowers?"

"Do we really need to go that far?"

"Of course!" he enthused, "Can't 'ave a wedding without flowers!"

I sipped my tea. If there was one thing I ever taught Bert, it was how to make a good cup of tea.

"I'm really not fussy" I said kindly.

All he did was smirk.

"Mary Poppins, I would've thought that _you_ of all people would 'ave an occasion such as your own wedding perfectly planned, right down to the finest of details"

I let out a small chuckle and set my tea cup down on the table.

"I suppose there was a time when I thought about it when I was a young girl…I thought about the flowers, the music and the dress…" I trailed off.

"If you 'ave the perfect image in your 'ead, why don't you tell me about it? Then we can make it 'appen"

I shook my head.

"The visions I had weren't perfect, the groom that I was pledging my life and love to in those dreams was always faceless…now, he has a face, so it's already perfect" I blushed.

He smiled lovingly at my words before setting his cup down and shuffling closer to me. Before I knew it, a soft kiss was pressed to my neck and my eyes immediately slid shut as I began to lose myself in his kisses. At some point in our relationship, Bert had realised that this was a particular favourite of mine. I remember the way my head rolled to the side to give him better access and he began to cover every inch of my neck. I sighed beside myself at his pecks and nips as he worked his way up to my jaw. I would never be able to recall every one of our passionate or romantic encounters, but this is one that sticks out in my memory, mostly because of how overwhelmed I felt; there we were, planning our wedding and connecting in one of the most loving ways. But I can remember feelings flustered and it was all I could do to not force his hands up from my hips and into less respectful areas. I was almost frightened by how much I wanted him. I loved him with every fibre of my being and I wanted nothing more than to be as close to him as possible.

He eventually captured my lips with his own and I heard him whimper slightly at the fullness of the contact. As the kiss quickly deepened, he leant in further, lowering me onto my back so that he hovered over me. I brought a hand to rake through his hair and hold him close. My heart was practically beating out of my chest, and even now, I remember how deliciously intense the whole thing was; the fullness of his body against mine was something entirely new, but it was so intoxicating. Bert pulled away after some time – knowing and perhaps regretting that we could go no further. The look he gave me in that moment made my heart swell, his gaze was so tender and full of love and I pulled him down for another quick kiss.

"So…" he breathed – as he attempted to steady his breaths, "…what flowers did you dream of when you were a girl?" he asked with yet another smirk.

I gave him one of my own before replying…

"Lilies"

Lilies were always his flowers.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I was unsure as to whether or not I should post this since I wasn't sure if Mary would ever write about such an event and I do quite like the whole 'unreliable narrator' angle...but, then the Bert/Mary romantic in me took over and there you have it!**

 **I would really love to hear your thoughts!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	21. Chapter 21 - Our Wedding

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I think it's absolutely hilarious that it's taken twenty-one chapters for these two to finally get married! I feel like I should apologise because I really didn't think that it would take this long...I guess my ideas just ran away with me! Haha! But, what's (almost) worse is that I know that this story is far from over! I have so many ideas...so, hopefully you won't get sick of it!**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this chapter! I've already started the next one, so that should be within a week!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty-One - Our Wedding**

On the 19th of April 1911, Bert and I were married. God, it was such a wonderful day! I had been staying with uncle Albert at the time and although I never admitted it to anyone, I woke up feeling really rather giddy; with an infectious smile across my face. I seemed to start blushing as soon as my eyes opened; just the thought of marrying Bert made me feel so light and wonderous…I wish I was creative enough to be able to tell you just how incredible I felt that morning. It seemed as though the universe had decided to bless our wedding day, because when I drew back the curtains I was greeted by endless rays of the most warming and golden sunlight – which was accompanied by sweet bird song. Well, it would've seemed like bird song to the unknowing ear, but in reality, the birds had heard of my nuptials and were passing on their good wishes. Naturally, I whistled back in thanks.

Whilst peaceful and content with the way the day had been set up, I began to ready myself for the day that would be the doorway to the rest of my life; I took out my wedding dress from its safe space in the wardrobe and found myself smiling giddily again. I ran my fingertips across the lacy fabric and took a moment to reflect on what it symbolised. I was marrying the man that had been my best friend for so long – the man I'd fallen so deeply in love with – and we were about to start a new life together. I knew that this dress was on the road to holding so many memories and I couldn't wait to start experiencing them. All those new emotions were heightened when I finally slipped into the garment and watched it flow rather gracefully around me. Since I was alone, I didn't bother resisting the urge to perform a slight twirl and I'll admit that I giggled slightly from the sensation of feeling to utterly beautiful in my dress. It was so unlike anything I'd ever felt before.

Soon enough, I was all ready for our wedding. Well, I was ready physically, however, I made sure to take a few moments to collect myself as best as I could. I studied myself in the mirror and let out a shaky breath. Whilst I knew how much I loved Bert, I couldn't deny how nervous I felt, but I know now that it was perfectly understandable, after all, this was going to be a drastic change for us both; whilst work would still separate us, our lives would now be permanently tied together. It was no longer my journey or his, it was to become _our_ journey. It was quite a lot to take in. Of course, I certainly wasn't having second thoughts – not at all! It was merely a period of brooding, just to try and lessen the shock, for I knew it was all going to happen rather quickly. But then, I thought about what our life could be like, living together in his flat as man and wife…waking up together whenever we could…well, it made my stomach flutter to no end!

A soft knock on the door brought me away from my reverie and my nerves rose within me as I knew what that knock meant. It was time.

"Come in" I beckoned softly.

My uncle entered with his own infectious smile and I have to admit, I was a tad surprised that his feet were still on the ground.

"Oh, Mary, my dear, you look absolutely beautiful"

"Thank you, uncle Albert" I blushed.

"Bert's not going to believe his eyes!"

"I should hope so!" I joked.

Albert took a moment to smile warmly at me, taking in my full appearance and looking at me with a sort of tenderness that I'd never seen before. It made me feel so loved.

"I'm so proud of you, my dear" he whispered before pulling me into a hug.

"Thank you" I whispered back.

"You're both going to be so happy together…I'm over the moon for you both"

"Thank you for everything, Uncle Albert"

He sniffed lightly before pulling away.

"Now, let's get you to that church!" he beamed.

* * *

Before I knew it, I was mere minutes away from walking down the aisle. I was on my uncle's arm and I can't deny how utterly wonderful I felt, there were no doubts in my mind (not that there ever were any) and I simply couldn't wait to stand in front of our family and closest friends and promise to love him for the rest of my life. Then the music began to play.

"Are you ready?" Albert asked me.

I smiled confidently.

"I'm ready"

As soon as the doors opened, all I could see was Bert. I felt my heart swell as even from the other end of the church, I could see the love in his eyes. Bert once told me that as I walked down the aisle, he'd never seen anything more beautiful, he said that I was the closest thing he'd ever seen to a princess; then he quickly changed his statement, and concluded that I instead resembled an angel – that I was far beyond earthly beauty…

He looked so handsome in his suit and it was all I could do to stop myself from running to him and wrapping my arms around his neck…but my knees were far too weak and never would've supported such a juvenile act. I was vaguely aware of our guests, but it's true what people sometimes say, the world really did go white around the edges and I simply couldn't focus on anything other than the man I would soon call my husband. I think I held my breath all the way down the aisle! My uncle kissed my cheek when we reached the front of the church and soon it was just myself and Bert; a few stray tears were dotted across his cheeks and I brought my thumbs up to brush them away. He took my hands and as the music faded out, he whispered…

"I love you"

"I love you too" was my reply.

There were few moments in my life where I felt euphoria as strong as that of my wedding day, I can just remember gazing into the eyes of this incredible man and thanking the universe for blessing me with such wonderful luck. In truth, I really don't know what I would've done without Bert. I could see as well, that Bert was having similar reflections; his eyes never left mine and his glittering smile never died. There was so much adoration in his gaze and I knew that it was a look that assured me of the undying fidelity that he would gift to me. I made sure that my own gaze conveyed that self-same message. I can just about remember us saying our vows, but I also remember the way it all seemed to wash over me – I really was absolutely captivated by Bert and by the knowledge that we were about to be married; in fact, I don't think I fully snapped back into reality until we slipped the rings onto each other's fingers and I heard the infamous phrase: 'You may now kiss the bride' being spoken.

I blushed profusely as he brought his hand to the small of my back before kissing me tenderly – our first kiss as husband and wife. I was vaguely aware of our guests clapping at our union, but all I was focused on was the security of his embrace and the softness of his lips as they lingered lovingly against my own. We giggled slightly as we finally parted, and – if I remember correctly – I was the one crying this time. Bert returned the favour of wiping away my tears before offering me another 'I love you' along with his arm. As we walked back down the aisle as the newly pronounced Mr and Mrs Alfred, I knew that it had been the happiest day of my life.

But there was so much more to come.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! They're FINALLY married! Haha! I really hope it was worth the wait, and I do hope that you're still enjoy this story...I know there are a lot of chapters...**

 **Anyway! As I said, the next chapter should be up on time!**

 **But, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'd love to hear your thoughts! xxx**


	22. Chapter 22 - Our Wedding Night

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, as my uni workload slowly begins to build, I have made the executive decision to have this story finished by the beginning of the summer. I know that seems like a long way away, but there are a lot more chapters planned for this story and I tend to upload once a week, so, it'll soon fly by!**

 **Anyway, I quite like this chapter and it's their wedding night so it's also quite romantic (Don't worry, it's T rated, so if you don't like explicit content, you won't find it in this story)! I really hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two - Our Wedding Night**

Regardless of how prudish I can be (well, at least in polite company), it would be extremely difficult for me to deny the significance of our wedding night. But, I can assure you that it is going to be regaled in an appropriate manner, I am still a lady, after all…despite what my husband may have told you!

Uncle Albert – being the incredibly generous man that he always was – had kindly offered to help us pay for our honeymoon; we refused profusely – out of politeness, of course – but he simply wouldn't take 'no' for an answer; so, after a short stop to change our clothes and gather our things, we soon found ourselves on a train to the Scottish countryside…with our own private compartment. (I'll never know how my uncle managed to help us afford such a luxury). When we were finally settled, and the train began to pull away, I found myself nestling against him – his own arm wrapped around me in a loving embrace. I just wanted to be close to him…to be close to my husband. Husband. It was a word that made me tingle all over…it took me a little while to get used to, but the very thought of it was enough to make me smile ridiculously – something that I also caught Bert doing on many occasions.

I could scarcely believe that we were about to start our honeymoon; as the train continued to rattle methodically along the tracks, it felt as if a million butterflies had taken flight in the pit of my stomach. I was aware of what we were going to share on our wedding night, and as nervous as it made me, I would be a liar if I said that I wasn't in some – or many – ways excited. I loved Bert so dearly, and I couldn't deny that I wanted to be with him in every possible way. I knew he felt the same too. Still, we had quite a journey ahead of us, and until our arrival, his soothing hold was enough to both comfort and reassure me. At some point during our travels, I buried my face into his neck – revelling in his wonderful scent – and nuzzled against his soft skin. After a minute or so, I couldn't resist placing a soft kiss there…well, it had started as a kiss, but that soon escalated into several that trailed up and down his neck. He whimpered ever so slightly at the contact. After a short while, he hooked his fingers beneath my chin and gave me a brief smirk before pulling me in for a languid kiss.

Perhaps it was simply because it was soon to be our wedding night, but the feeling of his lips on mine was so much more exquisite in that moment…I can't really explain it, it was something else entirely! It didn't take long for this kiss to deepen and soon we were completely wrapped up in each other…literally and metaphorically. I raked my hand through his soft brown locks and did whatever I could to pull him closer to me; soon his hand began to trail up and down my side – feeling my curves beneath his palm…

Then, the door suddenly opened. We pulled away instantly and I let out a small gasp before letting my eyes settle on the culprits; it was a young and (understandably) shocked looking couple. Well, the wife looked shocked, but the husband seemed to be giving Bert – who was now completely crimson – a look of pride…like he was congratulating him for what he was doing. Although, I suspect that the couple thought that we had planned on taking the whole thing further than we actually were.

"I do apologise" the woman stuttered, "we didn't realise that anyone was in here"

"No, it's quite alright, it was an easy mistake to make" I replied – trying to regulate my breathing and hide my blush.

"Come on, Harold, let's keep looking" she instructed as she began to tug on her husband's arm.

"Yes, we don't disturb you any further" he smirked before giving Bert a wink.

And as soon as they had arrived, they'd disappeared. I sat back against the seat with a sigh before Bert and I burst into absolute fits of laughter. Embarrassment aside, it really had been rather entertaining.

"Sorry, I didn't think things would turn out quite like _that_!" Bert chuckled as he pulled me back into his embrace.

"No need to apologise, it wasn't as if you planned it…besides, I think that young man was quite impressed with your boldness" I teased.

"Well I think 'is mind ran away with 'im a bit…I was only kissing ya, after all"

"That's how it always starts" I joked.

"An' 'ow would you know, Mrs Alfred? Is there somethin' you're not tellin' me about?"

I could help but giggle at his gentle teasing.

"Of course not, but you've given me quite an insight over the course of our relationship" I winked.

"I never knew y' 'ad such a crude sense of 'umour"

"Well, I guess that's the sort of thing you learn about a woman when you marry her"

His smile turned warm.

"I wonder what else I'll discover?" his joke was tender.

"Hopefully nothing you'll dislike"

"Mary, I don't think there's a single part of you – body and soul – that I could _ever_ dislike"

"Oh, such nonsense!" I blushed.

"Nah, it's the truth" he insisted.

A few comfortable moments passed.

"We will be happy, won't we?" I'm not sure why I asked it, it wasn't as if I ever doubted our potential as a married couple…maybe it was just a moment of fleeting weakness? Maybe I just needed to know that he had his own trepidations?

"That happiest that two people 'ave ever been…I'll do anythin' for you, Mary, I promise you that"

"I promise you too"

He ran his fingertips across the sharpness of my jaw and we inched closer to each other.

"I love you, Mary _Alfred_ "

It was the first time he'd ever called me that, and it sent a wonderful thrill through every inch of me.

"I love you too"

And with that, he kissed me again…and this time, we weren't interrupted.

* * *

It had been arranged for us to spend a quiet week in a small and secluded countryside cottage; whilst I have always adored London, the tranquillity of such a location was a welcomed contrast to the bustling city we were so used to. Whilst our evenings were filled with the hum of the lively streets and the characters that lived among us, out in the country, it was nothing but nature. I'll never forget how instantly soothing it was. It was already dark by the time we walked through the door, which lead us to both take our bags upstairs…to the bedroom. I felt my nerves awaken as we slowly took each step, and I noticed that Bert's posture had also stiffened slightly. I wanted to kick myself for feeling so nervous, after all, I knew that Bert loved me, and I loved him too; in fact, I trusted him with absolutely everything I had…and yet I couldn't stop my mind from racing. Nor could I prevent my stomach from feeling hollow with uncertainty.

"Do you – uh – think we should call it a day?" Bert stuttered as his gazed bounced between myself and the wall clock.

"I do" I replied almost shakily.

"So, ummm…"

"I'll go and get changed" I excused before grabbing my bag and practically dashing into the bathroom – leaving Bert looking quite bewildered.

I let out a breath as the door closed behind me and took a few seconds to collect my thoughts. I felt utterly ridiculous, I knew that everything would be okay, that we would take things slow and the Bert would never do anything to hurt me. I suppose it was just a fear of the unknown. I had always been so collected and calm – even when it came to situations I'd never encountered before – but this time, I couldn't shake the nerves. I began to wonder if Bert would be nervous too? I didn't know if he'd ever made love to anyone before me, but even if he had, this would still be his first time with me, at least…surely that would cloud his confidence a little? And he had seemed a little nervous beforehand…

I pushed the thoughts away for a moment as I began to peel away my clothes; I knew that if I took too long, Bert would eventually come looking for me, and I didn't want him to be worried. I felt my stomach flutter nervously as I became more exposed to the mirror – suddenly realising that Bert was about to see me in this way…he was about to see so much of me. Would he like what he saw? I'd never been so self-conscious before and it was something else I began scolding myself for.

' _He loves you'_ I told myself, _'Stop being so ridiculous'_

With another calming breath I slipped on my nightgown – which, perhaps somewhat scandalously, left my arms and a good portion of my legs bare. I gave my appearance one final check in the mirror and I gave myself a small nod – I knew that once I gained a little confidence, all would be fine. After a few seconds, I caught my reflection giving me a cheeky wink – which would've annoyed me greatly, had I not been so distracted. When I waked back into the bedroom, Bert was now in his pyjamas. He was sat on the side of the bed, elbows on his legs and his chin resting on top of entwined hands. He seemed to be brooding. I gave a minute cough and his gaze shot to me in an instant. I saw his eyes widen at the sight of me, and his mouth moved somewhat – as if he wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. I didn't quite know how to feel under his gaze, it sent a confusing mixture of trepidation and passion coursing through every fibre of my body. After a few more seconds, Bert eventually stood up and made his ways toward me before wrapping his arms loosely – and lovingly – around my waist.

"Listen, Mary…we don't 'ave t' do this tonight, if you want, we can wait"

"No…" I responded quickly, "I-I don't want to wait, I just…I'm nervous, Bert…I just…I've never done anything like this before"

"Me neither" he softly assured me.

"You haven't?"

"No. For me, making love to someone – especially for the first time – is special…even when I was younger, I always wanted my first time t' be with someone I loved…with my wife…I never saw it as somethin' that could be bought, or somethin' that should be taken for granted, I never really spoke about it with anyone, but t' me, it's a sign of love between two people and a couple should treat it as the most valuable thing they own"

I couldn't help but smile with adoration.

"I couldn't agree more" I said simply.

He tightened his hold of me and rested his forehead against mine…loving me, savouring me…

"Mary…" he began to whisper, "…I _do_ want to make love to you – more than anything – but, if I do anything wrong…if I do anything that you don't like or-or if I hurt you, _please_ let me know and if you want me to stop, then please tell me, because…because I never, ever want t' hurt you…" there was a short pause, "…I'd never do anythin' to hurt you, you know that, don't you?"

That's when I realised that Bert was probably more nervous that I was. As a husband, he was expected to know exactly what he was doing, but, of course, he didn't; and how could he? I realised then that he too would be spending his time figuring out what to do, what he wanted and what I wanted. Except, I was allowed to show my weaknesses, but in the views of society, he wasn't, he _had_ to do it with confidence. As far as he knew, he had no other choice. I brought my hand to his cheek and did my best to physically sooth his worries.

"I do know, Bert, and I thank you…and I want you to know to know that you needn't be nervous, because I trust you…but, if you are scared, don't be afraid to show it"

Then he relaxed.

"God, you really are perfect" he breathed as he brought a hand to cup the side of my neck.

"Hardly" I blushed.

"Truly" then he began to lean towards me.

"Bert –" I began when his lips were mere inches away from mine.

"Yeah?" but he didn't move away.

"I love you"

All I could see was his smile.

"I love you too"

Then his lips were on mine, more loving and sensual than they had ever been. Things began slowly, softly…almost tentative, but after a short while, when we had gained our confidence and comfortability, we grew bolder and began to move things forward, into a more fiery nature. It felt so wonderful and so intoxicating, it was bringing out feelings that I never knew I had, that I never knew I'd be capable of feeling, but my love for Bert was so powerful in this moment and the entire thing felt truly magical. It felt incredible to be connected to him in that way, mind, body and soul. Before our honeymoon, I never truly realised that such pleasure existed, but Bert was kind and attentive, making sure that I was comfortable with everything that unfolded. It just made me fall more in love with him…

When it was all over, we lay next to each other, looking deep into each other's eyes as we tried to control our breathing. I'll never forget how I couldn't stop smiling, or the way his eyes bore into me with such tender adoration that the mere sight of it made me want to weep. He ran his fingers-tips down my bare arm before pecking at my lips lightly.

"I love you so much" he breathed.

"I love you too"

Then, I shuffled closer to him and into his welcoming embrace. I felt so close to him, and not just physically, I felt close to him emotionally too…after sharing something so special, I think it would've been impossible for us to feel any other way. So, as I lay in his arms – practically clinging to him – I made sure to savour every second of these newfound emotions; such love, such trust and such perfection. And, as sleep began to slowly pull us into its void, my last conscious thought was that I couldn't wait to wake up in his arms.

* * *

The next morning felt simply magical – one of the most tranquil moments I'd ever experienced. The spring sun was warm and loving that morning, but it was nothing compared to how loving Bert's embrace was. When I stirred awake, I was curled against him – my head buried into his chest – and I knew that there was nowhere else I'd rather be. I took a moment to reflect on all that had happened – smiling as I did so. I had given myself to Bert the previous night and I was sure that I'd never been more in love with him than I was in that moment. It felt so wonderful to finally be together as husband and wife (and in every possible sense, no less). I remember feeling almost light headed that morning as I began to giddily imagine what our future would hold, whilst I knew that there would still be some degree of separation between us, I also knew that I now had a permanent home, someone to love and some to love me in return. I wasn't sure what my duties were as a wife, or if Bert even expected that of me (which he didn't), but the mere thought of having a life with him made my heart flutter.

After a while, I could no longer hold myself back and I placed a soft kiss against his chest – which caused him to stir. He didn't awake fully – at least not right away – but, his fist, semi-conscious action was to secure his embrace and pull me closer (if that were possible). As he carried out his most basic of instincts, I found myself giggling at the pleasure and newness of it all; and the sound of my laughter was what brought him back into the real world. He – slowly – opened his eyes and when his gaze met my own he kissed me without a second thought. The kiss was gentle, but I met it with eagerness. When he pulled away, he couldn't stop smiling, and that very smile filled me with so much love, that I briefly stopped to wonder how it was possible for a human being to feel this magnificent.

"Good morning, beautiful" he greeted – his tone still slightly gruff from sleep.

His words caused me to smile bashfully and bury my head as far into his chest as I could. He giggled at me as I did so. He began to run a hand through my now free locks, subtly encouraging me to look at him…and I did.

"'ow're you feelin' this morning?"

"Never better" I said honestly.

"It would seem that the feelin' is mutual, then" he smirked.

I leant up to kiss him again and he began to trace his fingertips across my still bare back in soothing circles. I snuggled back against him and hummed with contentment.

"I don't think I've ever felt more wonderful" I sighed.

"I dunno, last night was pretty good!" he teased.

I looked up at him – feigning scandal – and swatted him playfully.

"How inappropriate of you, Mr Alfred!" I joked.

"What? Can't Mr Alfred tell _Mrs_ Alfred, just 'ow amazing 'e thinks she is"

"On the contrary, he can do that as much as he likes, but he doesn't necessarily need to bring up the topic of their intimacy to do so" I laughed.

"Ah, but, Mary, I think y' underestimate just 'ow beautiful you are…" he sat up slightly so that he could lean over and place kisses along my neck, and, just like that, I was in a trance, "…an' I also think you underestimate just what y' do to me" he all but purred.

"Oh no, I'm _perfectly_ aware"

"Are you really?"

"You made your desires quite clear last night"

He moved away from my neck then – much to my disappointment – and looked deep into my eyes. For a few seconds, he just gazed at me with adoration, almost as if time had been suspended.

"I love you" he breathed almost out of nowhere.

"I love you too…but, all this talking is rather boring, don't you think?" I blushed.

He raised an eyebrow at me, but I could see the devilish glint in his eyes.

"Oh? Do y' really think so?"

"I'd much rather have you _show_ me"

He smiled again – a different kind of smile – and soon, I was in his arms again, utterly consumed by our love. But, as always, there was more to come…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! Like I said, I've decided to keep this story T rated, after all, Mary is meant to be the one writing this. However, if you do want to check out any M rated Mary/Bert stories, I have written some ("Come What May" and "Fashionably Late").**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed that and I'll see you soon!**

 **Please leave a review! xxx**


	23. Chapter 23 - Our Greatest Surprise

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is another one that I'm pretty happy with! I hope you enjoy it too!**

 **Like I said, I'm trying to get this story done as soon as I can, so I'm writing a lot of the chapters in advance (I've already written chapter 24).**

 **I'm still going to be updating "Climb everyone mountain" weekly and I also have 3 new stories that I'm working on! (One for Mary Poppins, One for The Sound of Music and one for The Dick Van Dyke Show!).**

 **Of course, my university work will always come first, but I'm always going to make time to write, even if it's only for an hour every evening!**

 **Thanks for being so patient and I hope you enjoy this! xxx**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty Three - Our Greatest Surprise**

If I had to describe what our married life was like after our honeymoon, well, I'd simply have to say Blissful! The honeymoon itself was absolutely wonderful, we took long walks out into the countryside and had afternoon picnics in secluded areas of the woods, with towering trees for shade and – on the few warmer days – we even took to swimming in a nearby lake. It was as if we were simply in one of Bert's pavement pictures, except this was so very real. It was quite surreal, being the only two people out there, of course, there was as small town nearby that we would occasionally walk to, but, being so secluded amongst all that nature was like being in our own world; and, although we both loved the liveliness of London, we made sure to savour the countryside tranquillity.

Our attitudes didn't change when we finally went back to London – if anything, we were even more excitable! Finally living together was practically unbelievable, I was still so overwhelmed by the fact that I got to wake up his arms almost every day. Now, you may be thinking how that was possible due to my work, well, allow me to explain. You see, I was never forced to follow the winds, it was always my choice, they would pull at me for a while, but, if I so wished, I could ignore it and the tug would eventually disappear until I decided it was time for me to go to a new family. Of course, I always chose to leave a family when they no longer needed me. Now, you may now be thinking that if I never had to follow the winds, why did I subject myself and Bert to all those terribly painful goodbyes? Well, nannying was the only way I could afford to live. I had no home, so I had to work in order to have money and a roof over my head; as much as he would've liked to, Bert never would've been able to support both of us on the money he made alone.

So, I kept working when we returned to London, I had, at first, planned to work just a little bit less so that I could spend time with my husband, but for some odd reason (that I still haven't truly figured out the cause of) whenever the wind carried me to a new family, they – more often than not – were based in London! If not, then very close by, this meant that, on occasions, some of my more generous employers would allow me to spend the nights in my own home. Of course, it didn't happen that often – especially if the children were young – but it meant I got to see Bert so much whilst I worked. And it meant my days off were much more profitable.

It took us a while, but we eventually got ourselves into a routine. Sort of. It was harder when I was working, but we always made time for each other, I made sure to always visit him with my new charges – which always resulted in a trip into one of his pictures and, on occasions – should the situation be appropriate – I would sometimes take them up to dance with the sweeps; but after the Banks family I made sure of two things, one: that the children remained spotless, and two: that the sweeps never invaded my employer's home! I had some very early starts when I was working whilst still being permitted to live at home (dragging myself out of Bert's arms in the mornings could be just dreadful), but the very fact that I got to fall asleep with him made it all worthwhile. Of course, there were times when the winds would still send me to the other end of the country, and although they were the hardest times of our early years as a married couple, we were able to keep up our communication through letters. And, deep down, I felt as if the little gold band around my finger kept my strength up and kept me going until we were reunited.

We kept going like that, happy without our life and we somehow managed to learn more and more about each other as time passed. We grew so close and our love never wavered for even a second, of course, there were a few arguments here and there, but we always made sure to have it patched up by the end of the day. We never ran away from each other, we never went to bed and angry and if there was ever something bothering us, we made sure to vocalise it, for we both knew that keeping it bottled up would only intensify the eventual explosion. We made sure to take each day at a time and to enjoy every moment we had together. But, I'm not here to give you some general overview of the early stages of our married life, no, I have a very specific occasion in mind: Christmas of 1912. (Yes, I know, _another_ Christmas memory, but this one is very important).

So, allow me to set the scene. Bert and I had been married for almost two years (twenty months, to be exact) and we were – of course – celebrating Christmas. I was between jobs at that point, so we were able to spend most of our time together, well, at least when Bert wasn't working. We'd attended a couple of parties for the season – starting with a calm gathering at my Uncle's, which was shortly followed the Banks family's annual Christmas party (which we were very flattered to have been invited to). But we decided that we simply wanted to spend a quiet Christmas together, nothing fancy, just a nice meal and a roaring fire…and a present or two. In fact, Christmas presents are pretty much the entire basis of this story! Let me explain…

I had bought Bert a sketchbook and paints for the occasion, but, I also had another very special present for him, one that I knew would make him completely flip! I handed him the small package and he gave me a slightly confused look, but it morphed into curiosity as he began to peel away the paper. I'll admit that I was smiling rather infectiously as he did so, you see, Bert had surprised me two Christmases ago with his marriage proposal, and this year, it was my turn. His face was still a tad confused when he reached the centre of the wrapping, but I'll never forget the way the realisation grew into his eyes and eventually spread down onto his cheeks to form a smile brighter than any shooting star. He pulled out the gift and held it delicately in his hand. They were two little knitted socks. The kind of socks worn by a baby.

The earliest kind of tears began to build in the corners of his eyes and he let out a shaky breath of disbelief – looking deep into my eyes as he did so. Then he finally spoke – his voice light and airy with sheer awe.

"Mary, are you really…?"

I nodded.

"Yes, we're going to have a baby!"

"Oh, Mary!" he breathed as he pulled me into his arms – holding me tightly and burying his face into my neck, "Oh, my love, this is amazin'!" he said – his voice muffled against my skin.

"I know, I simply can't believe it" And it was true, I couldn't.

"And we 'aven't even been trying" he almost gasped – joy abundantly living in his eyes.

"I guess these things just happen sometimes" I giggled.

I had only found out a few days before, but I had decided to wait before I said anything; I'll admit it was a sentimental gesture, but I really wanted it to be the perfect Christmas present for Bert…and I think it worked out rather well. It's funny, I worked as a nanny for so long and took care of so many children, but I had never given much thought to having a family of my own. But when I found out that I was expecting and that I was going to have a family with Bert, well, everything just felt so right. So perfect. Bert eventually pulled back and I couldn't help but smile lovingly as a tear swished its way down his cheek. I wiped it away gently before kissing him with all the love I had.

"Oh, I love you" I whispered when we parted.

"I love you too, Mary"

"Do you like your present?" I giggled.

He nuzzled his nose against my own.

"It's the best present y' could've possibly given me"

We kept our faces close – kissing occasionally – as I began to run my hand idly through his hair.

"'ow long 'ave you been keepin' this to yourself?" he teased.

"Only a couple of days"

"Oh, and y' didn't tell me straight away?"

"I wanted to –" I giggled, "—But I thought you'd appreciate it as a Christmas surprise"

"Well, you certainly got that right!"

"We're going to have a family" I breathed – somewhat overcome with awe myself…even though I'd already known for days.

Bert brought his hand to rest on my still flat stomach and with a loving smile, I placed my hand on top of his – lacing our fingers together.

"There's nothing I want more than t' 'ave a family with you, Mary…you've made all me dreams come true…thank you"

"I can assure you that the feeling's mutual, darling…besides, this baby didn't just happen because of me, you know" I said with a wink.

"Quite right!" he laughed.

He began to smooth his thumb across my stomach.

"Mary, I promise you 'ere an' now, that I'm gonna do everythin' I can to be the best father that I can possibly be – and the best 'usband too!"

"You already _are_ being the best husband" I insisted with a smile.

"No, I mean it, I'm gonna work extra 'ard to make sure that this baby 'as everything it needs, an' I'm gonna make sure you do too, whether it's maternity clothing or a simple back rub, I'm gonna make sure you get it…you an' this baby, yer never gonna want for anythin' – not whilst I'm around"

I couldn't resist kissing him – not after that speech.

"You really are perfect, aren't you?"

"Well, I try!" he joked.

Then, he pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head – basking in the tranquillity of it all. It really was an amazing feeling – the kind of feeling that makes you really feel the warmth and loving spilling out into your stomach and growing all the way up to your heart. There's nothing quite like it.

"Bert…" I said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"You do realise that we're going to have to move, right?" He was taken aback for a few moments, but then, all he could do was laugh.

And so, the next part of our adventure began…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! I really hope you enjoyed that - I have to admit, I'm quite happy with it myself! :P**

 **Please leave a review! xxx**


	24. Chapter 24 - Somewhere To Call Home

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: A slightly shorter chapter this week, but it's nice and cute, plus, the next chapter is going to contain yet another milestone for Mary and Bert!**

 **My workload is a lot heavier now, so updates may slow down, but fear not, I won't give up!**

 **Enjoy! xx**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four - Somewhere To Call Home**

I absolutely adored being pregnant. Well, that's a bit of a romanticised statement, a more truthful account would be that I adored being pregnant once all of the more miserable symptoms had passed. I suffered form quite terrible morning sickness during the early months, but Bert was by my side through every wave of it, if I ever spent the mornings feeling (or being) sick, he made sure to comfort me in any and every way he could. He made himself late for work numerous times but refused to leave until I was feeling better – regardless of how much I scolded him for it. Exhaustion and dizziness soon accompanied the nausea, but I think I pushed through quite well, I wasn't working, and I made sure to relax whenever I needed, never pushing myself; it really helped…and Bert had insisted. But, the increase in free time really provided me with opportunities to simply reflect on everything, to connect with myself, my husband and our unborn child. In the early months, I still couldn't quite believe that I was going to be mother, that the love I shared with Bert had given us such a wonderful blessing and that soon, we would have a child of our own. It really was incredible.

Our family and friends were absolutely delighted when we gave them the news, Uncle Albert barely kept his feet on the ground and the Banks family had offered us their most hearty congratulations; I'd say that it was around this time that I began to develop quite a strong friendship with Winifred Banks, she popped round on quite a few occasions and would offer me any and all maternal advice she could give before sharing humorous stories of Jane and Michael when they were younger. Still, the months rolled on easily and any unpleasant symptoms I'd experienced vanished and transitioned into something incredible, the small swell of my frame – the proof of our child. At every chance he got, Bert would always be touching, nuzzling or even kissing my bump, completely basking in the awe that it gave him. I'll admit that I rolled my eyes at his overly sentimental actions, but deep down, I felt exactly the same as he did – and he knew it too. We spent so many lazy evenings curled up on the bed, our hands entwined over our growing child as he whispered into my ear. Everything was just so wonderful.

Of course, the house search still continued, Bert's flat was barely big enough for the two of us and certainly wouldn't have been able to house all three of us. It took us a while to find anywhere that was both appropriate and affordable. The months rolled on and we began to panic somewhat, until one day, when I was four months pregnant, someone came to our rescue.  
Bert came home that evening with his usually chipper smile and greeted me warmly – as he always did.

"I'm 'ome, Sweetheart!" he announced before making his way over to me and kissing me softly.

I let him hold onto that kiss for longer than usual – still being quite addicted to his affections – and he eventually brought his hand to smooth gently across my swollen abdomen.

"The little un not given you any kicks yet?"

"No, nothing yet, though, I'm sure they'll make themselves known soon enough"

He knelt down and feathered a light kiss against my stomach.

"I don't doubt it…" then he stood, "…they're gonna need a strong pair of legs if they wanna dance with the sweeps!"

I could only roll my eyes at him in response.

"'ow've you been today?" he asked softly.

"Just fine, Uncle Albert paid me a visit"

"Oh yeah? 'ow is 'e?" He slipped his arms around my frame – holding me close.

"He's very well"

"Glad t' 'ear it"

"Listen, Bert, I think I've found us a house"

He took a slight step back but didn't let go of me and I watched as a beaming smile spread across his face – accompanied by the disbelief in his eyes.

"What? You 'ave?"

I nodded.

"It's not too far from here, only about a ten-minute walk, obviously I haven't seen it yet – not without you – but from what I've heard, it sounds perfect!"

"Oh, Mary that's amazing!" he exclaimed before embracing me tightly.

"But wait –" he pulled back again, "—Can we afford it?"

"Well, that's the other thing I need to tell you…"

He raised an eyebrow at me in question.

"When my uncle came over, I told him about how we were struggling to afford a house and so…well, I turned him down at first, told him that he'd already done enough for us – especially considering our honeymoon – but he's offered to help us pay for the house"

"Oh, Mary! That's fantastic!"

"I tried to turn him down at first, but he really did insist, and, well, after hearing about the house, it became more and more difficult to say no…besides…" I ran a hand lightly through his hair, "…I want to have a house with my husband" I almost whispered.

He gave me a somewhat cheeky smile before leaning down and capturing my lips in a languid kiss.

"We can go and see it on the weekend" I added.

So, that's what we did. We went to see the house and we both fell in love with it the minute we stepped through the door. It was in a very good area with more than enough room for the two – soon to be three – of us. A spacious drawing room, a kitchen, two bedrooms and still close to the multitude of areas in which Bert found his work. We were close to family and friends and we couldn't have asked for anything more perfect. We knew then that this was the house for us and we were moving in by the next month and it would remain our home for many years.

Once we'd moved in, we spent our first evening settled on the sofa next to a roaring fire, wrapped lovingly in each other's embrace, basking in the magic of being in our very own house. Everything felt as if it had come together perfectly, happily married, in our very own home and eagerly awaiting the arrival of our child. I could easily leave this memory here, but there's one more very important part of this tale that I need to tell you about…

Still snuggled against Bert – my head buried into his neck – I felt something. Something unique and something strong…I pondered for a moment, and sat with the feeling, letting it wash through me as I analysed it and tried to find its source…then it hit me. With a small gasp I took Bert's hand and brought it to my stomach; he was about to question me but fell silent as soon as his hand made contact – his eye widening.

"Can you feel that?" I breathed.

He just nodded – his mouth hanging open slightly.

"Is…is that…?" he eventually stuttered.

"That's our baby"

Then he was beaming out me and making small whimpers of joy.

"Oh, Mary…" he breathed, "…Mary that's incredible!"

His breaths were shaky, continue nothing but awe as we could both feel the movement of the life we'd created together, the life that had come from our love. Eventually he bent down to kiss and nuzzle my stomach.

"'ello in there…" he began giddily, "…I 'ope you won't cause yer mum too much trouble now that you've started movin' about…"

The word mum echoed beautifully in my mind, and when I looked down at Bert, there was another word…Dad.

"…but I want ya t' know that we're both very excited to meet ya and t' finally 'ave you 'ere with us, we're gonna love you more than anyone 'as ever loved a child before…but you just take your time, we don't wanna rush ya"

I looked at him adoringly when he finally sat back up; he returned the same expression for a while before capturing my lips. His kissed me passionately, spilling all of his love into it, but made sure that his hand never left the proof of our child…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! I hope you enjoyed that!**

 **Please leave a review and I'll see you soon! xxx**


	25. Chapter 25 - The Most Magical Day

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I am so sorry that this has taken so long, but I'm so busy with uni and I have a huge amount of paper work that I need to get done within the next couple of weeks. But, as I've said before, I promise that I'll keep updating!**

 **Anyway, this one is nice and cute and a very big milestone for Mary and Bert, so I really hope you'll enjoy it!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty-Five - The Most Magical Day**

The 13th of September 1913 was by far one of the most magical days of my life…as well as one of the most painful! Now, regardless of whether or not you know Bert, you can probably guess from these accounts that he is an extremely loving person, and whilst I always adored that part of him, it did produce a few problems during the last few weeks of my pregnancy. Of course, Bert's motives always stemmed from my welfare, but there were a few occasions where he really did work himself into a state…but, I'll admit that it was quite endearing.  
But, just in case you're having a difficult time picturing such situations, allow me to shed some light on how our life was as we approached the end of my pregnancy.

One day, late in the afternoon, Bert had come home from a long day of selling kites (he had wanted to stay home to keep an eye on me – so to speak – but I'd insisted that he should work and that I'd be fine), and as he entered the drawing room I began to rise from my place on the sofa, but he quickly dashed over to me and guided me back into a sitting position.

"'ey now, Mary, sit down, you need t' be taking it easy"

I rolled my eyes but managed to give him a bit of a smile.

"Honestly, Bert, I am allowed to stand, you know"

"Yeah, but the doctor said it could be any day now, so I wanna make sure you're comfortable"

"Bert, standing up isn't going to have any disastrous effect on me…how do you think I even got down here in the first place?" I chuckled.

"Sorry" he murmured shyly.

I patted the space next to me and signalled for him to sit, when he did, I leant forward and kissed him lovingly – hoping to sooth whatever pain he had.

"You needn't apologise, darling, because it really is rather endearing"

"I just wanna make sure you're okay"

"And I am, Bert, but being paranoid isn't going to do either of us any good, it'll happen when it happens, so there really is no use in panicking"

"I just…don't wanna do anything wrong"

I could've wept for him in that moment.

"Oh, Bert, you could never do anything wrong; you need to remember that this is new for both of us, but we'll both take it in our stride when the time comes, and you'll be perfect"

"I love you" he smiled.

"And I love you"

He leant in and gently caressed my lips with his own, reminding me of just how much he loved me – not that he ever gave me a chance to forget – we began to lose ourselves in the kiss…until our unborn child decided to interrupt us with a sharp kick.

"Oh" I winced as I pulled away – my hands instantly moving to my swollen stomach.

"What? Is everythin' okay? Is it time?"

"Bert, calm down, it was just a kick" I giggled.

He sighed heavily.

"Oh…"

But I couldn't help but smile as his cheeks began to redden slightly.

"Stay calm, dear" I told him.

"I don't think I'll be calm until we've got out little 'un 'ere with us" he humoured as he brought his hand to my stomach.

"It won't be long now" I reminded him.

So, I'm sure you understand what I meant by my husband's behaviour! Now, I'd like to be able to tell some lovely romantic tale about how the birth went smoothly, how we had no trouble at all and that we had our child with us after only a couple hours…unfortunately, that would be far from the truth! Here's what really happened…

Bert had gone out to work (once again, after a lot of persuasion from me), which left me trying to kill some time. I never really minded, I always took enjoyment from reading or sewing and whilst I often missed my work, the alone time allowed me a new sense of tranquillity that'd I'd never really known before. It gave me time to connect with myself and our child, to be able to think about how wonderous it would be when we were finally a family. Sometime in the afternoon, I rose from the sofa – with a struggle – to make myself a cup of tea (for a book simply isn't as enjoyable without a good cup of tea to accompany it). But, when I finally made it over to the kitchen, a strange sort of pain suddenly shot through me – manifesting in my abdomen. I clutched at my stomach and rode it out – finding myself breathless with paranoia once it had subsided.

" _No…"_ I thought to myself, _"…No, this can't be happening now, not when I'm all on my own!"_

But I did my best to stay calm and stood in at the kitchen counter, anxiously waiting to see if another pain would present itself. And it did. It was a short while after the first one, but it was already too familiar, and as I gritted my teeth and winced, I began to realise what was happening. But it was horribly confirmed when I felt a splash of water pour down my legs and onto the floor. It was time. And I was all alone. That's when I began to panic, I knew I couldn't phone Bert, he was out working as a screever and there was no way I would've been able to go out and look for him either. I had only one option. Clutching my stomach, I made my way over to the telephone with slow and pained steps, luckily, I didn't have another pain for a short while.

"Hello?" the voice on the other end of the line eventually said.

"Uncle Albert, It's Mary" I choked with panic.

"Mary, dear, are you alright?"

"No, I think the baby is coming and I'm all on my own"

"Oh, goodness! Are you okay? Do you want me to come over?"

"I'll be fine, but I need you to go and get Bert, he'll be at the park near cherry tree lane, please Uncle Albert"

"I'll be as quick as I can, Mary, but please look after yourself"

"I will, and thank you so much"

"Take care, my dear, and Bert will be there in no time"

I had to take his word for is. As soon as I put the phone down, yet another pain shot through me, this one more severe and rendering me almost immobile; I could do nothing but bite back my groans and wait for it to soften. As soon as it did, I practically dragged myself up the stairs, knowing that things were only going to get more intense from this point forward. When I made it onto the bed, I tried to regulate my breathing and calm my nerves as I lay there, I smoothed my hand across my stomach, hoping that one of us would take some kind of comfort from it. Of course, it didn't work, and I can remember the way my heart pounded furiously about my chest and I can safely say that I'd never been so scared. I really had no idea what to do, so, as the next pain began to arise, I hoped with all my heart that Bert wold arrive soon.

Each minute felt infuriatingly long and my hope was beginning to crumble somewhat; my pains were becoming more frequent and more intense, to the point where I felt exhausted before I'd had to put in any real effort… _that_ was one of the scariest moments, not knowing if I was going to be able to see this through the end. But after some time and several more pains, I head the door open and soon Bert practically throwing himself at my bedside with a worried call of my name. Our assigned midwifed trailed in behind him.

"Oh, sweet'eart, I'm so sorry" he breathed as he took my hand.

"Don't be…" I panted, "…it's not your fault, and you're here now"

"How are you feelin'?"

"Tired…and – oh – it hurts so much" I winced as another burst of pain began to coarse through me.

Bert leant forward and kissed my forehead before holding me close.

"Shhh, it's okay, Mary, you're gonna be fine"

It was amazing how much strength Bert's presence gave me, whilst the agony was still there, simply having him by my side gifted me with a newfound sense of confidence, and for the first time that day, I felt as if I may be able to see it through to the end. Unfortunately, the birth really wasn't that easy. God, I was struggling for hours (around nine, I believe) and I'd never known such pain. But Bert only left my side when he absolutely had to, anything I needed or wanted, he had it within seconds, even when the midwife suggested he take a break, he refused and stated with such passion that since I wasn't going to get a break, then neither would he.

Most of the birth seemed to morph into a blur after a while, I was only able to tell that time was passing with each new pain that I experienced; there were so many moments when I came close to giving up – almost certain that soon the agony of it all would become too much – but Bert never stopped supporting me, reminding me of how strong he thought I was and how much faith he had in me. And so, after hours and hours of hard work, pain and exhaustion, our son was born.  
As soon as I heard him cry, I knew instantly that the pain had all been worth it and a strange sense of relief washed through me, and for just a moment, I forgot about any kind of struggle, all I could think about was the fact that we finally had our child with us and that Bert and I had become parents. And when he was finally placed in my arms, I was overcome by the most magical sensation I'd ever experienced; I really wish I could explain it, but it felt as if my whole life had suddenly fallen into place and a wonderful warmth spread through me and made its home in my heart. I instantly felt so connected with the tiny being in my arms, and it was something so much stronger than love, it was also loyalty, adoration and a promise to protect. He was our son and I loved him more than I ever felt possible.

"You did it, Mary" Bert breathed – his eyes never leaving our son's face.

" _We_ did it, I couldn't have done it without you, Bert…thank you"

His kissed the top of my head before pulling me close.

"He's perfect" I whispered.

His soft features held such purity and although he seemed to have inherited my eyes, we could both tell that he was going to be the absolute spitting image of his father. He wriggled sleepily in my arms and I was sure that my heart was going to burst at the very sight of him.

"He also needs a name" Bert added.

"He does…I know we discussed a few names, but now that I've met him, none of them seem right, he needs one that suits him"

There was a brief moment of silence as we both gazed down at our son, both of us trying to put a name to the face, then, Bert spoke softly…

"What about Mathew?"

At that precise moment, our baby opened his stormy blue eyes and gazed up at us with wonder.

"I think it's perfect" I replied as I feathered a kiss to the forehead of the newly named Mathew.

"Mathew Alfred" Bert breathed with pride.

"Our son"

God, it was just so incredible, it felt as if the whole world had stopped spinning just for us, so that we could have this special moment, all three of us, as a family.

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 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! I really hope you enjoyed that and I hope it was worth the wait.**

 **I'd really love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a review and I'll see you soon!**

 **Byeeeeeee! xxx**


	26. Chapter 26 - A Man Of His Word

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Just a short one this time, but I am rather proud of it!**

 **Again, apologies for any delays - it's because of university.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

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 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Twenty-Six - A Man Of His Word**

There's nothing quite like watching the man you love hold the child that you created together, only a few days after Mathew was born, I remember waking up and was met by one of the most endearing sights I'd ever seen: Mathew was curled up on Bert's chest and was supported by his strong arm as he slept soundly; as for Bert himself, well, there are no words to describe the look of adoration and pure love that he was giving our son in that moment. He hadn't realised that I'd woken up, so I took advantage of the moment and simply watched him. It almost brought tears to my eyes. I always knew that Bert was going to be an amazing father, but there was something about this moment that really solidified that fact in my heart; it was rather overwhelming. He began to gently smooth his hand up and down Mathew's back before bending awkwardly to kiss the crown of his head, it was the purest of sight's, a father absolutely overwhelmed with love and feeling nothing but awe as he took in the sight of his son. I remember watching as his eyes glazed over with a promise of protection. In that moment, I knew that my life couldn't be more perfect.

"My beautiful boy…" Bert breathed, "…I 'ope you realise just 'ow much I love you, I don't think I'll ever be able t' find the words to tell ya just _'ow_ much…maybe your mother will – she's always been good with words – but I promise that I'm gonna do everythin' in my power to at least _show_ you 'ow much I love you, and 'ow much you mean to me..."

He paused briefly to swallow the lump that had apparently formed in his throat.

"…aside from your mother, you're the best thing that 'as ever 'appened to me, Mathew, you mean the world to me an' I'm gonna make sure that you're always 'appy…I dunno 'ow good of a father I'll be, but I'm always gonna try me best and I 'ope that'll be enough for you…you might not 'ave every toy in the world – believe me, if I could give that to you, then I would – but you're gonna 'ave two loving parents who'll do anything t' keep you 'appy and safe…"

At that point, a single tear slipped onto his cheek and I was close to weeping myself – my heart almost crumbling at the sight of Bert's turmoil.

"…I never 'ad the best childhood, Mathew, my father was…well, 'e was a rotten man, an' there's nothin' I fear more than the possibility of me turning out like 'im; 'e never treated me with kindness and I don't ever want you to experience such hardships – you don't deserve it – and if I ever became such a monster…well, it would destroy me…I don't know 'ow a person could ever treat their child with anything but love and protection…I'll admit that I'm scared, Mathew, but I'm gonna do all that I can to make sure that I never become what my father was, I wanna be there for you, to love you and told hold you when you need it…"

A few more tears.

"…I don't ever wanna disappoint you, my boy, I've always wanted to be a father, but I've never known if I'd be any good at it, but I 'ope with all me 'eart that I can be someone for you to look up to, to give you guidance and hopefully I'll…hopefully I'll make you proud…I'd give you the moon if I could, I'd shrink it and put it in a jar so that you'd be the only one lucky enough t' see it shine…if it were up to me, I'd give you each and every star so that you could make your own patterns in the night sky…but, even though all of that is far beyond what I can do, I'm gonna try and make you believe that anything is possible, that if you really believe in yourself, then you can soar above the highest clouds…you're my entire world, Mathew, you _and_ your mother, I love you with all my 'eart and I'm never gonna stop…I do hope that I'll never disappoint you, but if I ever do, then I hope you'll accept my apologies in advance. But anything's possible now that it's the three of us…"

He sighed – no longer crying.

"It's gonna be an adventure, my boy, but I'm gonna do all that I can to make it the best one you'll ever know and believe me, it's gonna be magical…"

And with that, he placed another soft kiss on our son's head before settling back against the headboards. I never told Bert that I witnessed this moment, and looking back, I really wish I had…especially considering what would happen next…

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 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you enjoyed that! I did really like writing it.**

 **Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon!**

 **Please leave a review and I'll see you soon! xxx**


	27. Chapter 27 - Torn Apart

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I honestly can't believe I got this chapter up on time because I have honestly been so swamped with work, it's unreal! :P Just to say, next week I have three weeks off from uni, so I should still be able to write and upload the new chapters, but I will also be spending those three weeks preparing for my final exams, so, sorry in advance if things slow down.**

 **Also, I've written the next chapter of "Climb Every Mountain" - so that'll be up either today or tomorrow.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven - Torn Apart**

War broken out less than a year later and it didn't take long for the entire country to be affected by what was happening throughout Europe. Things began to change throughout England, at first, it was a rather intriguing sight – perhaps marvellous in its nature – everyone was brimming with morale and patriotism, they sang for England and men from all across the country were signing up to do their part for king and country – each one wanting to fight for their homes in what the papers promised would be a wonderous holiday for all the boys, one that would have them back home and with their families by Christmas. But we knew better. We just _knew_ that things couldn't possibly be that simple. I know that it was initially difficult for Bert, there was a proud part of him that wanted to join the ranks and do his bit to protect his loved ones, to protect myself and Mathew, but after a lengthy discussion, we both decided it was best for him to avoid it, after all, he would do a lot more good for his son by staying in London…and, at the time, the army wasn't exactly short of volunteers.

But things soon changed, and even though the relay of information was limited, people soon began to realise just how horrific the whole thing was, and in an instant, everything came crashing down. The determination that once fuelled our strong country had completely crumbled and men no longer want to leave the safety of their homeland, so, naturally, the number of volunteers decreased and soon the army was desperate; we had a war ahead of us, but no one to fight. Bert – and some of the other men who remained – were not strangers to certain types of abuse; spiteful comments would occasionally be spat at them from across the streets – accusing them of cowardice and betrayal – it was horrid really, that people could say such things, and blackmail them into something they themselves would never be brave enough to do. The suffragettes were some of the worst; I had always respected them and what they fought for, but some of the things they said about the men of England – Bert included – well, it was, quite frankly, disgusting, and I too began to withdraw from the whole thing; becoming horrifically cynical.

Still, we kept going and we managed to all stay together as a family for a good few years, and despite the war raging across the ocean, we both took immense pleasure in watching our little boy grow up. Gosh, he was so much like Bert! Especially when he was younger, he had such a wonderous sense of adventure and was always such a free spirit; it was so magical to watch him experience each new day, to aid him in his discoveries and to simply be there to love him like every parent should. We took him into chalk drawings whenever our schedules would allow, and those times were the most freeing of all; they were the only moments where we knew that we could be completely at peace, we could forget about the war, the hatred and we could experience a world of joy and colour, even if it was only for an hour or so. Our son deserved to live a good life, one where he could be free to laugh – and he couldn't exactly do that with a war outside his window. But like all good things, it couldn't last forever.

In 1916, when Mathew was just three years old, the conscription act was passed, and, once again, the world came crashing down around us. Now, we never quite knew which day could be our last together. It was devastating. We almost dreaded getting up in the morning, constantly fearing that Bert would be taken away from us, it made the simple goodbyes in the morning seem so painfully monumental, like they could one day become true in a way that we'd never envisioned. It made the moments when he returned from work so special and almost every time we would cling to each other in an embrace that silently proved we'd do anything to never let go. But as we'd learnt so far, such things were beyond our control.

In 1917, Bert was forced to join the British army. The news had hit us like a knife to the chest and for the longest time neither of us spoke about it – not a single word – we just stared at each other, pale faced and dizzy with dread and disbelief; then he muttered my name, and everything crumbled. I don't know how long we spent clinging to each other, crying into each other's embrace, and, quite frankly, I don't _want_ to recall such facts…if I could forget that day, I would; but the whole thing is far too clear in my mind. Never had I know such heartache. The man I loved more than anything else in the world, the one person who had always been there for me was soon to be ripped away, and although we never directly spoke about it, he was being forced into a fate that could take him away from me forever. I was drowning in my fears, I just knew that I wouldn't be able to cope if he was taken away from me; I needed him more than anything and so did our son. I spent many nights silently sobbing myself to sleep in Bert's arms, trying so hard to stay strong but being completely unable to do so…the whole thing had destroyed me. I prayed that the whole thing had just been some malicious nightmare, that I would soon wake up and find out that everything was as it had been before…but I was never granted such a blessing.

Bert left in August of that year. By that point, the tears had stopped, dried up and I felt little more than empty. What was worse was that Mathew didn't understand any of it, he was a month away from turning four and he could hardly comprehend that war itself, let alone that fact that his father would be going away for a long time…and that we couldn't tell him when he'd be back. Bert had taken him in his arms and had held onto him with everything he had and did his best to sooth the boy's cries – promising him over and over again that he loved him with all his heart and that he'd be home soon. It was a piecrust promise, but I wasn't about to stop him, for even I needed that reassurance…even if I didn't trust it.

"How long will you be gone for, daddy?" Mathew whimpered as he clung to Bert.

"I'm sorry, Mathew, but I don't know…hopefully it won't be too long, though" he said – trying to crack a smile.

"Do you have to go?"

"Yes, daddy has to go and stop the bad people, remember?"

"Will the bad people every come here?"

"No, my boy, I promise they'll never come here"

I love you, daddy…" Mathew sobbed, "…don't go for too long"

Bert held him in a tight embrace – savouring every second.

"I love you too…and I'll be back before you know it"

He passed Mathew back to me and then it was my turn. God, I simply can't describe how much my heart ached, I could barely breath form the pain it caused…I was thoroughly convinced that I was about to scream to the heavens, I just need _something_ to take the pain away, to release the vines from around my chest and to let myself breath. I wanted – no – needed, to be let loose from this prison of torment. Instead, I was only granted a few minutes with the man I loved before he had to walk away. Then he stepped forward and kissed me solidly, pouring every ounce of love into it, leaving me with no doubt of his feelings, of his strength and that he was going to do everything in his power to come back safely.

"I'm so sorry that it turned out this way…" he whimpered.

"Don't apologise, none of this is your fault"

"I just can't bear the thought of leavin' ya…you both mean the world to me...will y' be alright?"

"We'll be fine… _you're_ the one that needs to look after themselves"

"Who would've thought that, when we were on the rooftops, when y' made us play soldiers with the Banks children, that it would all become real for me a few years later…" he breathed solemnly.

"I never thought anything like this could ever happen"

"Listen, Mary, I know I don't 'ave long before I 'ave to leave, so, will ya let me get everythin' off me chest?" he asked innocently.

"Of course"

"Mary, I love you, I love you _so_ much, and these past few years…well, I never dreamed that I'd ever be so lucky, they've been magical…"

 _No…surely he couldn't be saying goodbye?_

"…I've been lucky enough to 'ave you in me life for so long, but to be able to call you my wife, the mother of my child and the love of my life 'as been incredible to say the least…an' I 'ope it's been the same for you…"

He took a moment, a hard swallow and a shaky breath…

"…Mary, I promise you 'ere and now that I'm gonna do everythin' in my power to come back to you, to you _and_ Mathew…you both mean more to mean than anythin' else ever 'as, you're gonna be what keeps me going out there…but…"

"No, please don't say it" I begged.

"Please, just let me say it now or I'll regret it…Mary, if I don't come back, then I just want you to know that I love you with all me 'eart and soul, that I've never loved anyone like I've loved you and that you'll never know just 'ow 'appy you've made me…you're both my entire world…"

"Oh, Bert…" I sobbed.

He took Mathew and I in his arms and we all clung to each other – enveloped by our own little bubble and for those few painfully brief seconds, nothing could harm us. But soon, it was time. He gave Mathew a soothing kiss on the forehead and a soft 'I love you'. Then he turned back to me. He gave me one final soul bearing kiss – one that was punctuated by our tears – but it was a final, wordless reminder of all he'd just said.

"I love you so much" I whimpered.

"I love you too" he said firmly.

And with that, he reluctantly turned from us both and walked away…leaving me in the unknown…never sure if I'd ever see him again…

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 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, there you go! I hope you enjoyed that - even though it wasn't exactly a happy one.**

 **I have a rough idea of what I'm going to do next, but if there is anything you would like to see in future chapters, then please let me know, I'd love to hear your suggestions!**

 **I'm definitely thinking of having more interactions between Mathew and his parents, because I feel like he's been a little bit shunted to thte side.**

 **Anyway, please leave a review and I'll see you soon! xxx**


	28. Chapter 28 - Struggles of Separation

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I feel like all I ever do is apologise for how late these chapters are, so, instead I'm going to say a huge thank you for your patience and I really hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight - Struggle of Separation**

To say that things were difficult after Bert left would be a shameful understatement, so, I'm going to be completely truthful, it was absolute agony! Everything just became so flat without him and, on some days, it was a struggle to even get up in the mornings; if I hadn't of had Mathew, well, I almost dread to think what sort of state I would've been in. Sure, many people were convinced that I'd be absolutely fine, that I'd be strong and disciplined enough to get on with it, but I just couldn't survive without Bert by my side…I needed him, needed to know that he was safe. That was the worst part – never knowing.  
Besides, strength doesn't mean that we don't feel pain, strength is admitting that we have weaknesses, it's being able to push through them, to admit that we're being broken but not letting it consume us. I think I was able to grasp onto some strength, whilst not having Bert by my side was torturous, I was able to push forward, if not for my sake, then for his and Mathew's. I know that Bert wanted me to be strong while he was away – he hated the thought of me suffering whilst he was away – and Mathew needed me too, he had already had his father taken away, I was not about to let the same thing happen to his mother. He deserved so much better.

But it really took its toll on him too. And that really broke me, he was so young and the poor dear had to celebrate his fourth birthday without his father – he'd never known a world like that. During the first few months, he would often ask me when daddy was coming back, and I had no choice but to look him in the eyes, blink back the tears and admit that I didn't know. He accepted it after a while, which did make things easier, but I couldn't help but bitterly think that he shouldn't _have_ to accept such a thing. But that's the way things were. And we weren't completely contactless, Bert wrote to us every chance he got and we – of course – wrote back. I told him all about Mathew (who would always do a bit of writing or drawing of his own to send) and Bert avoided the topic of the trenches like the plague itself. It didn't make things easy, but the contact helped.

Still, there were many moments when the separation and heartbreak really did get to us. I remember Christmas the year that Bert was drafted. He hadn't come home, of course, hardly anyone was given any leave and to get it at Christmas time would've been a miracle; we sent presents and letters over, but we all wished with our whole hearts that we could be together…even if it was only for one day. Still, we made the best of what we had, and despite the absence of his father, Mathew was still able to enjoy the day and it was truly magical to watch his eyes light up as he opened his presents; whilst he was always a happy child, in that one moment, it seemed as though nothing was a miss, he was able to forget about the war, about Bert and just enjoy himself like any child should. For those few moments, he was completely free of the worries and misery that he never should have had in the first place.  
But, there was something that happened that I'll never forget, something I'm sure was the breaking point for me. As he finished opening his last present, Mathew turned to me – a giddy grin on his face – and suddenly exclaimed…

"I should go and show daddy!"

But as soon as the words left his lips, reality dawned on him it such a cruel and heavy way and his face completely fell.

"Oh…" he sighed.

I didn't let another second pass and I quickly scooped him into my arms and held him against me, somehow hoping that the embrace would take away the pain. He clung to me too, and, bless him, he tried to hold back his tears.

"It's okay, Sweetheart"

"I'm sorry, mummy, I just forgot" he whimpered.

"Oh, my dear, you _never_ have to apologise for something like that…even grown-ups forget"

"They do?"

"Yes, they do"

"Why couldn't he come back today, mummy, didn't he want to?"

"Of course he wanted to, he would've given anything to be here with us, but he wasn't allowed, he tried so hard, but they wouldn't let him come home"

"Why not?"

"I don't know" I lied – there was only so much truth I could shed regarding the war.

"I wish he was here"

"So do I, sweetheart, but even though that daddy not being here is very sad, I know for a fact that he wouldn't want us to sit around all day and be sad, would he?"

He slowly shook his head.

"Remember what he said in his letter? That he wanted us both to have a good day and that he wanted you to have fun playing with all your new toys"

"Uh-huh"

"Do you think you could do that for daddy? Try and enjoy today?"

"Well, I do have a lot of new toys" he said – perking up.

"Yes you do, you're a _very_ lucky boy!"

"Will I be able to show then to daddy when he comes home?"

"Of course you will, I know that he'd love to see them…tell you what, why don't we go and see Uncle Albert, I'm sure he has a few presents for you too"

"Okay!"

He wasn't so bad after that and he was able to enjoy the rest of his day. Being with Uncle Albert was also a great comfort, I just needed _somebody_ to talk to that day, somebody to vent to and to have that extra voice to tell me that it was going to be okay – even though I never fully believed it. I kept my strength up for Mathew's sake, but once he'd been put to bed, I completely crumbled. I collapsed onto Bert's side of the bed, got swept up by his scent and began to cry uncontrollably. It felt as if pieces of my heart were being continuously ripped from me, like I was no longer complete. The worst part was feeling so helpless, that no matter how much I hurt, no matter how much I missed him, there was nothing I could do about it; I could convey my love to him in a letter, but we both knew that the written word wasn't always strong enough and I would've given anything to have him hold me, to be in his arms and to kiss him until I forgot my own name.  
But I couldn't and my entire world was collapsing around me, crumbling into dust and decay until I was left to crawl through the ashes and search for something meaningful. I needed him so desperately and I hoped with everything I had that he would be okay and that I would see him again soon…

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 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you enjoyed that and I promise it's going to get happier! :P**

 **Please leave a review - I love hearing your thoughts! xxx**


	29. Chapter 29 - The Telegram

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Guys, I am so, so sorry that this has taken so long! As you know, I'm incredibly busy with university - I'm currently doing my exams! - but I have been spending a little bit of time each night because I really felt like you guys deserved another chapter. I'm probably not going to get this story finished by summer like I planned...but I'll certainly try! :P**

 **Anyway, this chapter is nice and long and I really hope you'll enjoy it! :)**

 **Also, thank you so much for all the lovely reviews! xxx**

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 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever  
Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Telegram**

It was one day in August when the telegram came. One day in August when my world completely fell apart. Sometimes, no matter how realistic your fears may be, there is still a part of the human mind that rejects the possibility of them ever actually happening, we believe that tragedy will never actually affect us; only those unfortunate souls we read about in the newspaper…a rather foolish trait that we all seem to have. But, like everyone else, I was guilty of it. Whilst I spent many lonely nights crippled with worry, there was always this very small voice in the back of my mind that told me that everything was going to be okay…and I regret listening to it.

As I said, it was one day in August and I had woken up with a particularly heavy heart, even though Bert had been gone for some time, his absence was never anything less than tortuous – and I never quite adapted to sleeping alone. Of course, I had Mathew and every day I felt more and more blessed to have him – he was truly our greatest gift – but his father being away was an undeniable void in our lives. Mathew had never been a fussy boy, but on this day, I was finding it more than a little difficult to keep him happy and entertained, ideally I would've taken him to the park, but it had been far too hot to be out without adequate shade and the last thing I wanted was for him to be running around in the unruly heat; in the end, I decided to pay my uncle a visit, Mathew did adore him so and, in truth, I really needed someone to talk to. Uncle Albert helped me so much during this period – more than he'd ever know.

Whilst Mathew busied himself with the assortment of toys that were kept at my uncle's house, Albert and I sat quietly sipping glasses of lemonade, although, I must have been too quiet, for it didn't take long for him to start questioning me; but I suppose I couldn't blame him, I was in a very difficult situation, and although I wouldn't admit it, it really was taking its toll on me.

"What's wrong, my dear?" he asked tenderly between well-mannered sips.

It took a while for me to answer, and I'm not sure why; whilst this certainly wasn't the first time I'd opened up to my uncle, it was probably the most emotive my words had ever been. In hindsight, I do suspect that I tried to hold it in for fear of it seeming even more real; that's always the case, isn't it? If something remains in your mind, then we have the power to push it away and disregard it as nothing more than a bad dream, I guess that I hoped that by not saying it out loud, it would become just that. But unfortunately for us all, it was real, and withholding my words never would have changed that. Or perhaps I was just trying to process the whole thing? There was little I could say to describe my emotional state at the time, broken seemed to cover it pretty well, but I suspected such a bleak one-word answer would only exacerbate things and heighten my uncle's worry.

"Nothing new…" I eventually said, "…I thought perhaps it would get easier – seeing as it's almost been a year but…" I had to pause for just a second – to collect myself, "…well, it hasn't, it's still just as painful as when he first left"

"I know, my dear, and I really wish there was something I could do to help"

"You already help so much, Uncle Albert, you're always here for myself and Mathew and you're so good with him"

"He's an absolute darling…" he said fondly, "…and I'm so proud of you, Mary, I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must be for you, I guess the closest I've come to knowing is when Elanor passed away…"

There was a brief and thick silence – almost sticky – Albert rarely talked of his late wife…she passed when I was very young, so I don't remember her that well, but I know that she was a warm, kind-hearted woman and it really hit my uncle hard when she passed.

"…and you're handling all of this so well" he concluded.

"Objectively, taking care of children by myself is nothing new, but…"

"But it's different with your own child?"

"Indeed…he's far too young to have to understand the war and why his father may never come back…he's not even five years old!" I whimpered.

Albert glanced across the room to where Mathew was playing – thankfully he couldn't hear our conversation. I always made sure to hide my darker emotions from Mathew, regardless of the war, I wanted his life to be as bright and painless as it could possibly be…the last thing he needed was to see his mother cry…

"I agree with you whole-heartedly, this war is rotten and has gone on for far too long, but I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, Mary – for Mathew too – I love you and you family so much, and the last thing I want is for you to be in any more pain…you've already suffered enough"

And then, everything broke.

"I just wish he was here…" I whimpered as I broke out in soft, silent sobs.

I felt uncle Albert take my hand, but I couldn't meet his eyes when I was in such a state.

"Oh, Mary…" he breathed, "…I know you do, but you're being so strong, and even though it's hard, I'm sure Bert wouldn't want you to be upset" he soothed as he stroked my hand with his thumb.

"No, he wouldn't, but I don't think I can bear to be without him for another day…it must be horrific out there and he's in so much danger and…and I just want him back…I want him to be safe and I want him to watch his son grow up"

"He will, my dear, and it won't last forever, soon everything will be back to normal and he'll be home safe"

"I hope so"

"I promise you, everything is going to be fine"

But, of course, it was a piecrust promise.

* * *

Only two days later, everything changed. It was early one Saturday morning and the August heatwave was still very much alive and well. But I suppose that I should stop eluding to what happened and just tell you…forgive me stalling, but even now, after all these years, this day is incredibly painful to recall. Nevertheless, I shall continue…

Due to the exhausting heat, Mathew and I didn't have any plans, and since it was a Saturday, I decided not to be overly strict with the morning routine (only this once, mind you) so I let him play in his room whilst I prepared breakfast. I was just about to call Mathew to come down for his meal when a slow knock came from the door, I was rather confused – since I wasn't expecting anyone – but I answered it nonetheless; but when I opened the door, and saw the young delivery boy with his head low and eyes apologetic, my heart began to drop.

' _No, please, no!' I thought._

"A telegram for a Mrs Mary Alfred" he said cautiously.

"That's me" I replied – fighting to keep the strength in my voice.

With a steady hand, he handed me the telegram – which suddenly felt like rocks within my grip. He tipped his hat gracefully before biding me a soft farewell and walking away. That's when I knew it was bad news…if a delivery boy didn't wait for a reply, the telegram would not inform you of a jolly affair. I moved back into the house on shaky legs – my heart pounding and mind roaring – but thankfully, Mathew was still upstairs. I opened the delivery and when my eyes landed on the words, everything fell to pieces and crumbled into little more than dust. I had forgotten about the heat, forgotten about the breakfast, forgotten about everything as I desperately let my teary gaze run over the words again and again – hoping to process them, to make sense of them…hoping to discover that they were all a dream.

 _MRS MARY ALFRED_

 _WE DEEPLY REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT ON THE NIGHT OF_ AUGUST _8_ _TH_ _YOUR HUSBAND BERT ALFRED WAS SHOT IN THE LEG AS WELL AS SUFFERING FROM FURTHER INJURIES.  
HE HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO CRAIGLOCKHEART HOPSITAL IN ENDIBURGH. _

_PREDICTIONS REGARDING RECOVERY CANNOT BE MADE AT THIS TIME._

 _VISITS ARE PERMITTED WITHIN THE HOSPITAL'S APPROVED HOURS._

 _IF MORE DETAILS ARISE YOU WILL BE IMFORMED._

 _-SM_

And then, everything was empty. Nothing meant anything anymore, there was no meaning, no language, not even a single sound existed, just a roaring hollowness as everything fell apart, as everything melted into a bleak and relentless void. It was despair and it all went right down to my soul, like a fierce hand clutching at my insides, squeezing my windpipe until I could no longer breathe. Then my head began to spin, and violently so as each word slowly began to take on some meaning… _Bert_ … _shot_ … _hospital_ …it chilled my blood with such terror that it began to feel frozen. The world was a shadow of what it used to be, and I, nothing more than an asset to it's blackness, standing still, fighting to breathe and using every ounce of strength to push through the gifted torture.  
But then, as if by some twisted miracle, there was a knock at the door and without thinking I moved to answer it – my face ghostly, eyes empty and my body walking on numb legs. I answered the knock without thought and found none other than George and Winifred Banks on the other side; on any other day I would have been delighted that they stopped by since they were good friends of ours, but I barely even registered who they were…I could barely see!

"Good morning, Mary!" Winifred chirped as we walked into the house…I think, "We do apologise for stopping by unannounced, but we were just passing and thought that since we haven't seen each other in quite a while that -" then she noticed, "—Mary? Mary are you feeling alright?"

And that's when everything fell apart. Before I knew it, hot tears began streaming from my eyes and yet another dose of oxygen was stolen from me; I stumbled slightly and ended up gripping the kitchen table for support.

"Mary!" I remember George exclaiming.

And in spite of the ravenous force of my sobs, no sound left my lips – I don't think I was capable of it – instead my body just shook violently as the fear began to coarse through every limb, turning it to weakness. I was sure it would be enough to drive me to exhaustion and to collapse right there. But I didn't, and I was able to hear Winifred's next question as she took me in her arms.

"What's happened?" she squealed with alarm.

"Bert…" was all I could manage to choke out.

The brief silence was harrowing.

"What about Bert?" she asked tentatively, but I knew that she too was beginning to feel some sort of terror.

I tried my best to explain, but I just couldn't speak, my throat had completely closed. Instead, I pointed to the kitchen counter – where the telegram lay – and let them do the rest. Again, there was silence as they read over what had been sent, but I can't say I noticed…all I could focus on was the agonising pain in my heart.

"Oh, Mary…" Winifred breathed as she guided me to sit at the table; she sat next to me and allowed me to cry into her shoulder, "Oh, Mary, I'm so sorry…but at least he's still alive"

' _For now!'_ was all I could think, not that I could bring myself to say it.

"Mary, we all know that Bert is a fighter…" George added calmly, "…and I know that he'd never give up on his family"

"Where's Mathew?" Winifred asked gently.

"…upstairs"

"Go and check on him, George"

I heard him walk away but was instantly reacquainted with Winifred's motherly tone.

"Now, listen to me, Mary, everything is going to be okay"

"But…but it said -"

"—I know what it said, but I also believe in what George said, Bert would never give up on you or Mathew so easily, he loves you too much and you and I both know that he'll do everything in his power to make sure he comes home after this war…and he's been transferred back to Britain, so he'll be away from the fighting and can recover properly"

"I can't lose him, Winifred…" I sobbed.

"You won't, Mary" she assured me…but I had a hard time believing it.

* * *

George and Winifred had stayed with me for as long as I needed, and luckily, we managed to keep Mathew in his room by allowing him to have his breakfast up there; it had taken a while, but I eventually managed to calm my sobbing and had a long, logical talk with them both. It had calmed me somewhat – once everything was out in the open and theorised – but I was still so petrified. I had decided to travel up to Edinburgh as soon as I could, but would leave Mathew with my uncle (The Banks family also offered to care for him if Albert was unavailable).

Telling Mathew had been the worst part. Shortly after George and Winifred left, I made my way up to his room, sat beside him on his bed and told him that I'd just received a telegram about his father. I chose to sugar-coat it a lot, the last thing I wanted was to haunt him with such cruel imagery, perhaps it was crueller for me to skirt around the truth so much, but I made my decision and stuck with it firmly. I simply told him that his father wasn't very well so the army had sent him to a special hospital in Scotland so he could get better. Naturally, he was worried, but I think my choice of words made it sound like his father had little more than a cold. Of course, once I mentioned that I was going to go and visit, Mathew had immediately asked if he could come too, I declined, I didn't want to see his father in such a state. _That_ had – understandably upset him too – I had to explain to him that he probably wouldn't be allowed to visit, but I promised him that he'd see his father very soon…and I was determined to keep my promise.

But the one thing I'll never forget is the way he noticed my reddened eyes and the sadness that lay within them – he really was a precocious child – and asked me if I'd been crying; I admitted to it and just told him that I was worried about his father. Without another word, he stood up on the bed and cradled me against him – assuring me that everything was going to be okay, and, perhaps for the first time that day, I started to believe it.

* * *

I left for Edinburgh a couple of days later; Mathew stayed with my Uncle and I had assured them both that I would only be gone for a few days…depending on how Bert was. Yet, as the train left the station I felt…strange. I didn't really know how I was supposed to feel, I thought that there might be just a twinge of elation at the thought of seeing my husband again – even if he would be lying in a hospital bed – but the grim reality was that I was dreading it. I had absolutely no idea what state he'd be in, I knew he'd been shot in the leg, knew that he was injured, knew that recovery was not guaranteed…but all of that meant nothing! And I just didn't know if I was ready for whatever potential shock would be waiting for me. In truth, it was a difficult journey and a long one too, but I couldn't risk flying, not with the world in such a state and I really don't think I would've been mentally up to the challenge; I had hoped that the train ride would've gifted me some serenity, a chance to collect my thoughts and calm my terrors…but they were definitely a few moments when it just exacerbated everything.

As had been the case with my pregnancy, the time alone really allowed me to think; now, as I'm sure you may have gathered, I'm usually a very calm and logical thinker, but it seemed that was not the case this time. No, every time I thought about Bert, I remember my chest began to tighten, as if angry vines were trying to squeeze the life out of me and constrict me into a state of panic. I had horrible intrusive visions of what he might look like – lying in a bed, bloody and unable to respond to anything…oh, it really was tormenting! Thankfully, it calmed after a while and I knew that I had to push through such emotions, for my sake, for Bert's and for Mathew's. My legs were trembling when I got off at the station and I had to take several deep breathes simply to gain the courage to move; I decided to walk to the hospital, I knew it wasn't too far and I felt I just needed that little bit of extra time to prepare myself…and as I started to walk, I hoped with my whole heart that I was worrying over nothing. Scotland was welcomingly warm that afternoon and I tried to soak it up as much as I could, perhaps I was just in desperate need of some comfort?…I'm really not sure, on the inside I was in such an awful state…

However, the panic soon picked up again when I entered the hospital, the place was bustling – nurses were scurrying back and forth with towels, bandages and assortments of different medicines…some soldiers hobbled around on crutches, others had weeping bandages covering their eyes – gas attacks, of course – and the air was filled with purposeful words exchanged by staff, the soft interactions between recovering patients and the spluttering coughs of those who may not be so lucky. It really had a strange atmosphere, that perfect cohesion of hope and despair and the patients there really were at opposite ends of the scale, some looked as though they would soon be discharged and – hopefully – sent back to their homes, or at least remain in Britain…others not so much. I really don't like to delve into some of the things I saw, but some of the soldiers were suffering so much, some had terrible shell-shock – making it almost impossible for them to function, and others, well, you could tell just by looking at them that they didn't have much time left. It really put into perspective just how evil this war was…  
There was a small desk opposite the entrance, and with shaky, trembling legs, I stepped tentatively towards it and was greeted by the soft – yet somewhat desolate – smile of a young brunette nurse.

"Good afternoon, madam" she said tenderly.

"Good afternoon, my name is Mary Alfred, I was hoping to visit a mister Bert Alfred – he was transferred here a couple days ago"

"Please give me a moment"

She began to flick through a few books – her eyes skimming the pages purposefully.

"Okay, visiting hours are permitted as long as you're a close relation and since you share a surname, can I assume that's correct?"

"I'm his wife"

"I see" she said with a tender smile, "Please follow me, Mrs Alfred"

The nurse was extremely warm towards me and showed nothing less that the upmost professionalism, but as she lead me through the corridors, I couldn't help but contemplate the way she had acted – the way she had spoken to me – oh, she was considerate, but I noticed that she showed no further positive emotions, she wasn't joyful that a husband and wife were about to be reunited, that we were finally going to be together again after almost a year of suffering…I had concluded that she must have been so worn down by her job and that horrors that she saw almost every day that it was probably easier for her to remain stoic and courteous; but at the same time, my paranoia began to flare and I couldn't help but fear that her lack of happiness stemmed from the fact that my visit would not be a pleasant one.

We eventually came to the end of a long corridor and she stopped outside of the last doorway.

"Mr Alfred is bed in number six, it's the last one on the right"

"Thank you" I said kindly and watched her practically scurry away.

This was it. And I decided to just bite the bullet, no more panicking, no more paranoia-filled contemplation, whatever will be will be and I just needed to see Bert so desperately. I made my way through the room, ignoring the slow gallop that my heart had began as I let my gaze scan over each of the beds. I came to the last one – Bert's bed – and couldn't stifle the gasp that left my lips. He was lay completely still – his eyes closed and body rigid – his face was decorated with angry cuts, greying bruises and poking up form beneath the blankets, I could see that his shoulders and chest had suffered a similar fate. In his state of sleep, he didn't seem to be in pain, but I just knew that he would be. My hand flew to my mouth, hot tears of heartbreak scrolled down my cheeks and by body began to shake with silent sobs. The terror had been reborn. Again, my stomach was a bottomless pit, my chest unbearably tight and it was all I could do to keep myself upright. I flew to the chair by his bedside and took on of his hands in my own as I continued to sob.

"Oh, Bert…" I whimpered, "…I'm so sorry, my darling, this shouldn't have happened to you, you never deserved any of this!"

No response. He looked so pale – ghostly.

"I love you so much, Bert, and Mathew loves you too, he so wans to see his daddy again…please, Bert, I _need_ you – more than anything – and I don't think I'll be able to go on without you"

I leant forward and kissed his hands as I continued to sob quietly – the whole ordeal was ripping me apart, tearing into my very soul and draining me of all that I had left; the only thing that kept me going was the faith I had in Bert and the love I had for both him and our son. I'm not sure how long I sat there crying, but I eventually heard a polite cough and as I turned, was met with a grey-haired nurse who looked down at me with warm, caring eyes.

"Are you Mrs Alfred?"

"Yes, Ma'am"

"I was jut informed of your arrival and felt you may wish to know the details of your husband's condition"

"Yes please, is he going to be okay?"

"We cannot say for certain at this very moment, he has a gunshot wound to the leg, it's not too severe, but it still has a lot of healing to get through"

"Could…could he lose the leg?"

"From that kind of wound it wouldn't be very likely, but I'm afraid we cannot rule it out as a possibility – especially if it becomes infected"

I let out a shaky breath but tried not to dwell on it.

"What other injuries has he suffered?"

"Well, as you can see, he has unfortunately been cut up rather badly, he has similar wounds across his chest and shoulders – but not too many, and, once again, nothing too severe – he's fractured a rib or two, but as long as he rests well, they should heal just fine"

"How has he been cut so badly?"

"When he arrived, we had to remove a lot of shrapnel from his wounds, it seemed as though he was unfortunate enough to be caught by shell; luckily, he was only clipped by a few stray pieces, although we are unaware of how that may have affected his mental state"

"Shell shock?"

"It's a possibility" she admitted grimly.

"How long has he been asleep for?"

"He's been drifting in and out of it for the past couple of days, hence why we haven't had much chance to speak to him and look for any mental strains…he did speak a few times, but when he did, he only ever asked for you"

"Me?" I breathed as a single tear floated across my cheek.

"Your name is Mary, is it not?"

"It is"

"Then it was definitely you he wanted to see…and a Mathew too"

"Mathew is our son"

"Oh, how precious, how old is he?"

"He'll be five next month"

"Such a darling age"

"He really is a blessing…he wouldn't be allowed to visit, would he?" I asked – already suspecting the answer.

"I'm afraid we only allow children to visit under special circumstances…I'm sorry"

"It's quite alright"

"Is there anything else you'd like to discuss, Mrs Alfred?"

"No, I don't think so, and thank you for all your assistance"

"My pleasure…I'll let you know when visiting hours are over"

"Thank you"

And with one final nod, she was gone.

I must have sat there for hours, sometimes crying, sometimes in silence and sometimes whispering words of love and encouragement to my husband. The whole thing had put me in a void, it seemed as though time was no longer passing, the hours on the clock held no meaning and the only thing that ever existed was my injured husband in his hospital bed. The mere sight of him was enough to make my heart split in two and I could physically feel the ache that was blooming in my chest, I loved him with everything I had, and I just knew that I wouldn't be able to carry on without him – I really doubted my strength. However, I _never_ doubted Bert's, in spite of all of my terrors, there was a part of both my mind and heart that had clung to the words of George Banks, Bert was indeed a fighter and deep down, I knew that he wouldn't give up.

As the sun began to set, I was preparing myself for the nurse to walk back in and let me know that it was time to leave, I desperately didn't want to, but I knew it was something that couldn't be escaped. I gave Bert's hand a gentle squeeze and watched as the sun's twilight glow framed his face so beautifully…it was strange how he could look so at peace. But then, something extraordinary happened. In response, I felt Bert squeeze my hand ever so slightly in return and the new sensation caused me to jolt and sit upright – my eyes wide. I didn't believe it at first, surely he hadn't just…?

"Bert?" I questioned desperately.

Every part of me was begging for this to be true, that he was about to show me some signs of life and that maybe – just maybe – he was about to wake. I gave his hand another gentle squeeze and said his name again, and to my delight, his face began to twitch to life – his eyelids fluttering and lips pursing ever so gently. I was silent as this all unfolded, holding my breath and watching with sheer awe as I saw him come back to me; then his eyes opened. It took him a few moments to adjust to the room and the silence of where he was, but then, he fully registered my hand and with a wince and a crane of his neck, he turned to face me.

There was nothing but pure magic when our eyes met. Everything else melted away and we were no longer in a hospital, we were in our very own world, reunited after so long and after so much pain…there really are no words to describe how incredible it felt. I saw tears well in his eyes and soon I was crying too; I just couldn't believe it, he was alive!

"Mary…" he croaked in disbelief as a smile slowly spread across his face.

"Bert…" was all I could choke out in response.

But then he lifted his free hand to my cheek and drew me in for a solid and desperate kiss and the strength of it sent shockwaves coursing through every inch of my body and I could feel the strength of my love for him bloom and crackle within my limbs. I let him deepen the kiss as I so desperately wanted to be close to him, to let him know of how much I had missed him and how my love for him was stronger than it had ever been.

"Oh, I love you, Mary…I love you so much"

"I love you too"

"You don't know 'ow 'appy I am to see you"

"The feeling is mutual…oh, Bert, I was so frightened" I sobbed.

He pulled me close to him and stroked my hair as he soothed me with his voice. I buried my face into his neck, savouring our closeness, as well as the warmth of his body and the scent the was just so intoxicating…god I had missed him so much!

"It's okay, I'm safe now an' you know I'd never give up without a fight"

"I know…but I just thought…" my words almost failed me, "…I wouldn't have been able to go on if I lost you, and I was just so terrified when I heard the news! You must know that I'd never doubt you but, well, I just couldn't help but imagine the worst"

"You'll never 'ave t' worry again, love, and I'm so sorry you 'ad to go through all that"

"Why are you apologising to me? You're the one that's been in a war, you're the one in the bed…"

"You know I don't like t' make a fuss" he smirked.

"You're far too modest, Bert Alfred, but I do love you for it"

"I love you too" he said seriously before giving me a tender kiss.

"'ow's Mathew, is 'e okay?"

"Mathew is fine"

"'as 'e been coping alright since I've been away?"

"It's been a struggle for us both, but he really has been doing wonderfully, he's such a brave boy"

"Ah, I really wish I could see 'im" he sighed.

"I know, dear, but you will do soon, I promise…but for now, I want you to focus on getting better, the nurse said you've chalked up quite an impressive list of injuries"

"Well, I don't like to brag" he chuckled.

"I'm serious, Bert" – although I only said it semi-seriously.

"I know" he smiled.

"I missed you so much"

"I missed you too, but the thought of seein' you and Mathew again was what kept me going. I wasn't just fightin' for my country, Mary, I was fightin' for the two of you, as well"

"And the thought of seeing you again was what kept _us_ going, even though Mathew has been coping well, it really has been difficult…thankfully we've got so many good friends who care about us, and I don't know what I would've done without my uncle"

"It was torture to think about you sufferin' all alone, I know you're strong, but sometimes you're a bit _too_ strong, you bottle everythin' up t' try and keep others out of harm's way"

"I had to do that with Mathew, though, I didn't want this war to be any hard on him than it already was…besides, I really wasn't alone" I assured.

"I'm glad to 'ear it, but I'm so glad that we're finally back together…even if it is in unfavourable circumstances"

"Me too"

I was about to lean in for another kiss when a voice brought us out of our bubble.

"Oh! Mr Alfred, you're awake" gasped the nurse.

"So it would seem"

"How are you feeling?"

"Marvellous now that I've got my wonderful wife with me" he commented – chuckling at the ferocious blush that began to fill my cheeks.

"Well, I must say that certainly is encouraging, but unfortunately, visiting hours are over now"

"She can't stay longer? I 'aven't seen 'er in so long" he said almost defensively.

"I'm afraid not, Mr Alfred, it's hospital policy that visiting hours must be strictly obeyed, and now that you're awake, we need to run a few more examinations"

"I see" he sighed.

"It's okay, Bert, I'm up here for a few days and I'll come and see you as soon as visiting hours are open tomorrow"

"I can't wait" he said tenderly.

"I love you" I whispered once more.

"I love you too"

We shared one final kiss – not caring that the nurse was there – before I finally rose from the seat and reluctantly left his bedside. But as I made my way back down the corridor, there was a hint of a giddy smile tugging at my lips and I simply couldn't shake the feeling that everything was going to be okay.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! I bit of an emotional roller coaster, but it definitely progressed the story! As I said before, I really hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far and I'd really love it if you left some more because not only do they mean the world to me, but they really help my motivation and help me to write and upload more frequently.**

 **Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon! xxx**


	30. Chapter 30 - Bert's Return

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Wow! I'm so sorry that this has taken so long, but as I'm sure you know, I've been very busy with university, but I've finished my first year and so now (until I get a summer job) I'll have a lot more time to write. I'm hoping to getting this story and "Better Than A Dream" finished as soon as possible - plus, I have loads more stories that I want to write.**

 **Anyway, enough talking, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Thirty - Bert's Return**

I suppose that first meeting really set the tone for the rest of my time in Scotland, as promised, I returned to him the next day and was there right until visiting hours once again ended. Oh, we simply talked for hours! I barely even noticed the time passing, it just seemed as though we were in as whole world of our own. In fact, that's how it was for the next few days before I returned home, we would simply talk and talk about everything and anything. Bert was so desperate to know all that he could about our family, friends and about our precious London, and I couldn't lie to him, London had been suffering since war first broke our – as he well knew – but it had done nothing but worsen since he left for France. Neither of us could believe that the war had been going on for four years…and there was still no end in sight.

I think Mathew was what I talked about the most, poor Bert had been riddled with guilt ever since he left us, but whenever I mentioned our son and the multitude of happy tales about him, well, it was just incredible how Bert's eyes lit up with nothing but love and adoration; and whenever I spoke he would listen with such intensity…I knew that deep down he was hurting, but the stories were my way of helping to ease that pain. He would later tell me how much they truly meant to him.  
Of course, the end of my time in Scotland soon came around and before we knew it, it was my last day; as had become my routine, I was by Bert's bedside as soon as the hospital staff let me…but my train was due to leave only a couple of hours later. We barely talked that day, I think it was too painful for us to face the reality of my departure, we had been separated for so long, and between the endless nights of paranoia and the fear of almost losing each other for good…well, it was just too much to handle. We simply couldn't bear to be without each other.

Instead of our more common endless conversations about our loved ones, we simply took each other's hands and held each other as close as the barrier of the hospital bed would let us; and every now and then, we would lean in and exchange sweet but desperate kisses – wanting to demonstrate the strength of our love. No doctors or nurses disturbed us that day…I don't think they could bear it either.

"I really wish I could stay longer" I whispered as I caressed his cheek – a significant amount of stubble had grown there over the past couple of days, and I was secretly fascinated by the feel of it against my fingers.

"I know, but it's better this way, you 'ave got to look after Mathew, after all"

"I wish I could've brought him here to see you…he's missed you so terribly"

"I've missed 'im too, and whilst I feel so blessed that I've been able t' spend these past couple of days with you, I do so wish I could spend some time with my boy"

"You'll be home soon – I just know it – but you need to focus on getting better whilst I'm away, that's the most important thing"

It was true, even though Bert had made tremendous progress whilst I'd been with him, his injuries were still rather significant – especially his leg – and I desperately wanted him to focus on his recovery, lest he make himself worse.

"I will. I'll do it for you an' Mathew"

"Oh, I want you to have something" I said suddenly.

I let go of one of his hands in order to reach into my coat pocket and pull out a small – somewhat fuzzy – photograph of Mathew that my uncle had taken. I handed it to Bert and watched his eyes widen with bittersweet love.

"Uncle Albert took it on Christmas day, I thought you might like to have it…something to hopefully keep your strength up"

For a while, Bert said nothing, he just gazed longingly at the photograph – his eyes remembering every small detail of our son's face. Truly, it broke my heart to see it and I would've given anything to let him have some time with Mathew. A lone tear eventually scrolled down his cheek and I tenderly brushed it away, and when he looked at me, I could read his face all too clearly: he missed Mathew so desperately. The ache in his heart was so evident. I gave his hand a squeeze before letting my lips find his cheek and we fell into yet another comfortable silence. I'm really not sure how long we stayed like that – holding each other whilst we also held back our tears – but eventually our time came to an end and I'd never known such torment.

"I have to go now…" I announced reluctantly – my voice no stronger than a broken whisper, "…my train will be arriving soon"

"Thank you for coming up 'ere, Mary…it's been so amazing to 'ave you back by my side…I don't think you know 'ow much its meant t' me"

"Oh, believe me, I know, ever since you left I've been begging for us to be reunited…I just wish it could've been under more favourable circumstances"

"Every cloud, I suppose"

"I quite agree" I said simply.

Before I knew it, _I_ was the one with slow tears caressing my cheeks.

"It's funny, I don't think I can bring myself to leave you"

"You go…" he said softly, "…you need t' look after our son, an' whilst you're away, I'm goin' to make sure I can get better so that I can come back to you both…I'm not gonna to leave you again"

We never mentioned the prospect of him being sent back into the trenches.

"I never stopped believing in you" I whimpered.

"I know, love…an' I thank you for it"

He met me halfway for a kiss, and the moment our lips met, it was like magic. We kissed each other with such desperation, such longing…such love, I felt those sensation prickle all the way down my spine and flutter through every inch of my body. The thought of leaving him again was all but unbearable, but I was able to take some comfort in the fact that he was somewhere safe and that he was recovering well. His lips moved over mine almost frantically and, in that moment, I did not care about any patients or nurses that may see us, I was about to be separated from the love of my life for the second time – all because of the war – so I was going to make the most of our last few minutes together. I let my hand rake through his hair and pull him closer as we continued to kiss; my entire body seemed to fill with warmth as I drank in the delicacy that was this shared intimacy, and it was palpable the way our hearts seemed to connect – ensuring that although we wouldn't be together, we wouldn't be apart either. The connection of two hearts is one that would never sever, even when separated by the most copious number of miles.

We parted eventually: breathless and craving for more time…more closeness, but we both knew we wouldn't be granted such a miracle, instead, during our final few minutes, we kept our faces pressed together, letting our breaths mingle as we soaked up these bittersweet sensations.

"I love you so much, Bert" I breathed.

"I love you too"

"Take care of yourself" I told him between soft whimpers.

"You too"

He pecked my lips one final time before saying…

"I'll see you soon"

And that's when I left, not daring to look back as I walked away, for I knew that if I did, I wouldn't be able to tear myself away from him. I was in a void after that, an abyss of longing, and for the entire journey back to London, I tried desperately to ignore that heavy sense of emptiness that was growing in the pit of my stomach. It was an odd feeling really, leaving Bert all over again, but I just had to remind myself of my duty to our son, and deep down, I knew that Bert would be okay, that he would recover and that he'd be home soon. As long as I told myself that, I knew I'd make it through. The thought of seeing Bert again had kept me strong during his original absence, and even though the pain was so much worse the second time around, being able to spend time with him only heightened my resilience.

It was getting late when I finally returned to London, so as I walked into my uncle's house, I wasn't prepared to have to face Mathew, but the moment I stepped through the door, he came barrelling towards me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I knelt down instantly and pulled him into my embrace – holding him like my life depended on it. I had missed him so much. I buried my face into his hair whilst I held him, and I felt my heart swell with nothing but pure love…I didn't think being away for just a few days would affect me so much but being able to hold him again was indescribable.

"Mummy, how's daddy?" he asked with a sort of heart-breaking innocence.

"Daddy's feeling a lot better now, sweetheart"

"Will he be home soon?"

"I think so, he says he's going to try extra hard to get better so that he can come home"

"Are we still allowed to write to him?"

"Yes, the hospital gave me a special address and now we can write to him more often"

I adored the way his face lit up at the prospect.

"And has he missed me?"

"Oh, yes, he's missed you so much. But I gave him a photograph of you so now he can see you every day, even if you're not there. And he told me to tell you that he loves you very much"

"I love him too; did you tell him that?"

"Yes, I did, sweetheart. Now, it's way past your bedtime, so say goodbye to Uncle Albert and I'll take you home"

I watched Mathew give Albert a similar embrace, and for the first time that day, I began to feel just a little better.

"Thank you so much for looking after him, Albert"

"It was no trouble, my dear…" then he lowered his voice, "…how's Bert doing?"

"He's a lot better, he's still got a lot of recovering to do, but he's doing well"

"I'm so glad to hear that, and listen, if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me"

"Thank you" I said softly.

And so, life continued from there.

* * *

The war ended only three months later, and I wish I could accurately describe the state of euphoria that overtook London when the Armistice was announced; parties and celebrations consumed every single street and parades went on for what seemed like days, it was a spectacular sight, that even though our country had been hurt, and families had suffered great losses, we were all able to come together as one nation and celebrate peace. It was one of those few once in a lifetime experiences that just fills you with such awe – one of those memories that will stay with you forever. We all witnessed history on that day. But, in spite of London's merriment, there was one day that was even more incredible, it was – of course – the day that Bert came home.

That docks were bustling with life that day and I held Mathew tight against my side as we waited for the inevitable spill of men from the boat, and in the moments leading up to that, I let my eyes wander – hoping to distract myself and forget my nerves for just a little longer. I saw so many different people, I saw mothers who desperately wanted to see their sons, sisters who were craving the embrace of their siblings, wives who didn't know if they were ever going to see their loved ones again and children who just wanted to be held by their fathers. I was so thankful for the fact that I knew Bert was okay, you see, by some miracle, Bert was not discharged from Craiglockhart until after the Armistice and he never had to return to the trenches, so we knew that he'd be okay and that he'd be home. We just had to wait. It had been somewhat torturous, knowing that such bliss was just around the corner, but I cannot deny the wonderful sanity that came with knowing that he was definitely going to return to us…I swear that I felt all of the tension and fear from the last year simply melt away and I finally felt free again. All I needed, and all Mathew needed, was Bert.

But I was brought away from my reverie when I heard the anxious mutterings of people around me and the men who were no longer soldiers began to spill out of the boat and into the docks. I picked Mathew up and held him securely on my hip as he too began to search the crowd for his father. I began to feel so anxious and butterflies soon began to pick up in my stomach – heaven knows what I would've been like if I hadn't had such certainty regarding the situation – but we soldiered on and continued to search the crowd. I watched as several reunions unfolded in front of us, and I have to admit that it warmed my heart with a unique sense of anticipation…soon that would be us. Several more faces slipped in and out of my vision until I heard Mathew cry…

"There he is!"

I followed his gaze and the most unbelievable smile spread across my face, there he was, walking through the crowd – still unaware of our presence. It was extraordinary really, how only a few months ago he could barely walk, was beaten black and blue and was covered in cuts and bruises, yet, in this moment, he seemed so untouched, as if he'd never been out in the trenches, had never been in hospital and had never been forced through such atrocities. It was as if it never happened.

Then he saw us too, and when our eyes met, my breath was completely stolen from me and all I could feel was the violent fluttering in my heart; he was home. He secured his bag over his shoulder and soon came bolting towards us, an indescribable smile living on his face; Mathew called out gleefully and soon Bert had reached us – enveloping us both in his arms in an embrace that seemed to be the essence of his very heart and soul. For a few moments, it took me a while to realise that this was all real, that he was not a fragment of a dream or piece of some fond memory, that he was actually here.

"I missed you, daddy!" Mathew admitted as his eyes began to fill with tears.

Bert took him from my arms and held him close.

"I missed you too, but I'm 'ome now and I'm never gonna go away again"

"Do you promise?"

"I promise" he assured before kissing the top of his head.

"And you feeling better now?"

"Yes, much better, especially since mummy was able to come an' visit me" he grinned before leaning over and giving me a chaste kiss on the cheek, "I can't believe 'ow much you've grown!" he exclaimed when he looked back at Mathew.

"I'm five now, did you know that?"

"Yes, I did…" he chuckled, "…an' I can't believe 'ow big you are now, young man!"

"Mummy says I'm nearly as big as you!"

"You certainly are!"

"Did you miss mummy too?"

He gazed at me then and I suddenly felt like some kind of love-sick teenager as I blushed ferociously at the intensity of his gaze.

"Yes, I missed mummy very much"

I'll admit that I was desperate to have him take me in his arms and kiss me senseless in that moment, but we couldn't, not with so many people around and certainly not when Mathew was with us. We just had to wait.

"Why don't we all go home?" I suggested.

And so we did. As a family.

* * *

The evening that followed was just beyond perfect, that night we were able to eat together, laugh together and for just a moment we were able to pretend that the war had never happened. I just couldn't believe that it was all over, Bert had been gone for over a year and the whole thing had just felt like an endless nightmare, I'd felt trapped, suffocated and completely helpless, but now he was back, and I'd never felt so at peace. It was simply amazing to watch Bert reconnect with our son, he had been so devastated by the fact that he'd missed some milestones in Mathew's life (including two birthdays) and it was clear to see that he was taking every opportunity to spend time with him, to love him and prove that that love had never died whilst he was away. It truly warmed my heart.

I'd let Bert read Mathew his bedtime story that evening, but I simply couldn't bring myself to leave the room, not when the sight in front of me was just so beautiful; instead, I found myself leaning up against the doorframe, watching with adoration as the two most important people in the world to me continued to bond and make up for lost time. But there's one thing I'll never forget, when Bert had finished the story and switched off the light, Mathew – who was seconds away from sleep – gently mumbled…

"Daddy are the bad people gone now?"

Bert remained sat on the edge of the bed and stroked his cheek tenderly.

"Yeah, Mathew, the bad people are gone now"

For me, that really helped to put into perspective just how much Bert had sacrificed and how much he had done for his country and his family; and even if he'd go to great lengths to deny such a claim, in my eyes, Bert was a hero. We moved out of Mathew's bedroom then, and when the door had closed I found myself totally incapable of speech, instead I found myself just gazing up at him – longingly…stupidly…without saying a word, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him – holding onto him tightly – as if he might slip away from me at any moment. He held me in return and the feeling of finally being in his arms was just incredible and soon I felt myself fill with such a strong sense of yearning. I had missed him so desperately.

When I looked back up at him, his gazed locked with mine and it was utterly hypnotic, in that moment, time stood still, and the air became thick with tension; and I just felt myself being drawn to him with this tremendous sense of longing and desire. So, when his lips finally met mine, it was simply intoxicating, and I instantly felt myself melting into his kiss and against his body; within seconds our kiss became heated – our lips moving together rhythmically and with such hunger – and I was just so desperate to be with him, to feel his kisses across my skin and to show him how much I'd missed him. I had never known passion like this, it was overwhelming at best. So, without breaking our kiss, he tugged me into our own room and we tumbled into bed.

* * *

"Oh, I missed you so much" I told him as we lay beneath the sheets – our breathing still heavy and rapid.

We lay facing each other and his gentle features were framed delicately by the moonlight. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer…it was incredible to be with him again, to be in the arms of this wonderful flesh and blood man that I held so dear. He pecked my lips tenderly.

"I missed you too"

"For so long I feared that you'd never return to me" I admitted as I began to lightly caress his cheek.

"I'm so sorry that you 'ad to go through all of that, but I don't want you t' dwell on it, I'm 'ome now and I'm never gonna leave you again" he said quite seriously.

"Thank you for fighting for us, Bert"

"I'd do anything for you an' Mathew – _anything_ "

"Was it really terrible out there?"

He was silent for a moment, but then he shuffled closer to me and pressed our foreheads together…I knew that he was doing it just so I wouldn't have to see the fear in his eyes.

"It was…horrendous…I've never seen anything like it and I know I'll never forget it…I just never imagined that there could be such hatred in the world…but, I don't want to dwell on the past either, instead, I want to focus on the future – the future with my wife and child"

I moved back and kissed him solidly, and when we parted I looked deep into his eyes.

"I love you, Bert" and I made sure that I left no room for doubt.

"I love you too"

But as always seemed to be the case with us, there was far more to come…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! I really hope that was worth the wait!**

 **Anyway, I have quite a good idea of what I want to happen in the next chapter, so that will hopefully be written and published soon. I also might have a new fanfiction published soon - it'll either be about The Dick Van Dyke Show or Mary Poppins! ...or The Sound Of Music ;)**

 **Anyway, thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews - they mean the world to me - and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter too!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	31. Chapter 31 - Life's Ups and Downs

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey, look at that, I've managed to update on time!**

 **Anyway, I'm not going to say anything about this chapter other than it's a bit of a roller-coaster ride and that I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Thirty-One - Life's Ups and Downs**

Around two months after Bert's return from France, I began to notice some changes…changes within myself, that is. It had all crept up on me rather slowly, if I'm honest. It started simple: falling asleep earlier in the evenings, a tendency to skip meals, slight queasiness in the mornings and…now what's the polite way to word this? An increase in appetite that had absolutely nothing to do with food. Now, I'm sure this all sounds rather obvious to you (and I assure you that such symptoms didn't go unnoticed by me) but with Mathew now in school and some rather generously provided part time work in central London, well, my hands were just too full for me to really take notice of what was so painfully obvious. I had my suspicions, of course, but I guess I never really had time to dwell on them; however, when we were midway through January, I noticed one final change that really solidified my suspicions: two missed cycles.

I was almost certain by that point, but I really did battle with myself over what would be the best course of action; for a while I wondered whether or not I should mention my suspicions to Bert before I had anything confirmed, I was fairly confident, but I didn't want to get his hopes up or have him worrying for nothing. But then, a sense of reality hit me, and I was forced into remembering the pain of our separation during the final year of the war, no, I never wanted to take our closeness for granted; and so, one evening – when Mathew was fast asleep – I decided to tell him what I thought was happening. I came down from Mathew's bedroom and found Bert reading peacefully in the drawing room and for a few moments, I didn't want to disturb him.

"Bert?" I beckoned softly and was met with one of his token warm smiles.

"Yeah, Sweetheart?"

"There's something I wanted to talk to you about"

"Sounds serious…" he said light-heartedly before marking his place in the book, "…what is it?"

I sat down beside him and fidgeted with my hands for a moment.

"Okay, well, I'm just going to come right out and say it…" I took a deep breath and prepared myself – why was I suddenly so nervous? "…Bert, I think I might be pregnant"

I watched as his face became stunned and his eyes were completely unreadable.

"Wh-what?" he stammered – more out of disbelief than anything else.

"I think I'm pregnant"

He took my hands then – rubbing his thumbs over the back of them – and I saw the wonder begin to grow in his eyes.

"What makes y' think that?"

"Well, a number of things really, I haven't been feeling myself lately – and I've been feeling especially sick in the mornings – besides, I haven't had a monthly cycle since you came back from France"

"Well, we've certainly seen those symptoms once before, 'aven't we?"

"Yes, we have…about five years ago, I should think" I chuckled.

Then, some kind of realisation seemed to hit my husband.

"Wait a minute, does this explain why you – uh – why our love making seems to 'ave gone up in frequency over the past few weeks?"

I blushed profusely but couldn't hold back my giggles.

"Yes, I believe it does"

He chuckled again, but then it melted away to form one of the most loving smiles I'd ever seen.

"D'ya really think you're pregnant, love?"

"Yes, I do, all the signs are there and, I just have this _feeling_ , you know?"

"So, you 'aven't been to a doctor yet?"

"No, not yet, I was thinking of going tomorrow morning – when Mathew's in school"

"Do y' want me to come with ya?"

"No, no, it's quite alright, you need to work…but I'll come and see you as soon as I have an answer"

"Good" he chuckled.

"Bert, if it turns out that I am pregnant…will – will you be happy about it?"

He looked shocked that I even had to ask.

" _Of course_ I'll be 'appy about it. The day Mathew was born was one of the best days of me life, an' I can't think of anythin' better than for us to 'ave another baby to love and share our lives with"

I never truly understood how he always seemed to know just what to say to make me feel better. But what made this moment all the more wonderful was when Bert took his hand and feathered light caresses across my abdomen – across the place where we were sure our second child was growing – and I suddenly had such a wonderful sense of nostalgia wash over me.

"You're so wonderful" I gushed – with just the slightest hint of playfulness.

"I know" he teased in return before kissing me solidly.

I let him pull me closer as I lost myself in his kiss, I was just so overwhelmed by the whole thing; I was so certain that we were going to have another baby and I simply can't tell you how incredible it made me feel. I loved Bert with everything I had, and the thought of having another baby together – a new addition to our family – was just so magical.  
Soon, our kiss began to grow passionate and I brought a hand to cup the side of his neck and (somehow) pull him even closer, it wasn't long before I could feel his kiss not only on my lips, but also through my entire body and the sensations pulsed through me like a crackling current. It was drugging. Our tongues began a slow and sensual battle for dominance and his hands trailed up and down my sides; I just couldn't get enough of him and it seemed also though one of my pregnancy symptoms was still very much at large, for soon, the kiss was no longer enough.

"Mary…" he breathed after he pulled away, "…I know that you're pretty sure you're pregnant, but 'ow about we go an' make sure?" he suggested with a cheeky wink.

I swatted him playfully across the chest.

"You're such a scamp!"

But soon he was pulling me off the sofa and I followed him eagerly to the bedroom…and everything else was forgotten.

* * *

So, I visited the doctor's office the next morning, and even though I'd done this all before, I couldn't stop the fluttering in my stomach on the tingling running up and down my spine. I was just full of joyful anticipation! But, I (naturally) remained calm and collected on the outside, and nobody – except maybe Bert (who was never good at hiding his emotions) would've noticed any difference in my demeanour. Still, I was thankful that the examination didn't take long.

The results came back positive. I was pregnant!

I felt like I was in a daze, I just couldn't believe it, I was pregnant with our second child! I was simply ecstatic! I could barely contain my excitement as I made my way back through London, and even I won't deny that my steps were a lot faster that day. I checked my pocket watch as I made my way through the city and noticed the afternoon hour, I was certain that Bert and the rest of the sweeps would be taking their 'scheduled' afternoon break. I didn't really want to bother them, nor was I sure if Bert would want our private life being discussed somewhere that was anything but private, but I knew he'd want to know right away…besides, we were both very close to the sweeps. Luckily, I remembered the house he said he'd be working on that afternoon, and when I arrived, I saw a crowd of sweeps lounging casually on the roof…as expected. With a gentle smile, I took out my umbrella and let my feet lift from the ground and made my own way up.

Now, I – rather foolishly – had hoped that I would be able to slip into the crowd unnoticed, but, of course, that didn't happen, as soon I was on the rooftop I heard a bellowing announcement of…

"Look, everyone! It's Mary!"

There was a brief cheer (it had been a long time since I'd seen the sweeps), but as soon as Bert emerged from the small gathering – a look of anticipation etched onto his features – all fell silent. He looked at me intensely, his eyes full of hope and unspoken questions, I knew exactly what he was asking me. I began to smile giddily, and whilst I'm sure that told him all he needed to know, I gave a slight nod – just to confirm it. I had never seen such a look of amazement on anyone's face before, and within seconds he had taken me into his arms, embracing me like it was the very first time. As he held me tightly, the sweeps erupted into another round of cheers and applause. I pulled away from Bert slightly – still smiling foolishly.

"They know?"

"Well, I may 'ave let it slip earlier" he blushed.

But I really didn't care, we were having another baby! I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him lovingly – which caused more cheers (and a few whistles) to come from the sweeps.

"We're 'aving another baby!" Bert stated – I think he was trying to let it sink in.

"Yes we are!" I replied joyously.

I really wish I could convey to you just how magical that whole afternoon was, as soon as we'd had our little moment, the sweeps were pulling me into their own embraces and shaking Bert's hand with such vigour and excitement…then, of course, there were songs and dances. Normally, they wouldn't let such festivities play out in the middle of the afternoon, but they all decided that it didn't matter since it was such a special occasion. I think it's safe to say that they all got a little carried away, though, for they were all late to their next house.

* * *

Now, telling Mathew was certainly something that we were both anxious about (in a good way, of course); Bert had made me promise not to say anything without him – which, of course, I wouldn't – but I did spend the entire evening running through possible explanations and reactions that could've happened on both our parts. Bert and I hadn't really planned on having another baby – at least not so soon after the war – so we certainly hadn't ever asked Mathew how he may've felt about having a younger sibling. But I kept reminding myself that he was such a good boy, and that any possible hostilities wouldn't last long. Luckily, Bert was home early that evening.

"Evening, Sweetheart" he said softly before tilting his head to give me a kiss that lingered for a lot longer than it probably should have…this was confirmed when a sharp 'Ewww' came from Mathew.

We both chuckled at him as we all made our way into the drawing room.

"You ready?" Bert whispered to me.

"Yes" I replied, and in spite of my nerves, my smile was utterly infectious…in fact, so was Bert's.

"Hey, Mathew, can you come and sit down for a moment? Yer mother and I 'ave something to tell you"

"Okay" he chirped.

We all sat down on the sofa, and I took Bert's hand in my own – squeezing it lightly – before he gave me one final look to question my readiness. I nodded calmly.

"What is it, daddy?"

"Well, me and your mum were wondering 'ow you'd feel about 'aving a little brother or sister?"

Mathew cocked his head and contemplated for a while, and we watched as processed every possible possibility.

"I don't know…"

"You see…" I began, "…I went to see the doctor this afternoon, and he told me that in about seven months time, I'm going to have a baby"

"Really?"

"That's right"

But then his face fell slightly.

"If you and daddy have another baby, does that mean you won't have time to play with me anymore?"

My heart wept for Mathew in that moment.

"Of course not, Mathew –" Bert assured, "—we'll _always_ 'ave time to play with you. Sure when the new baby arrives me and your mum might be a little busy and won't be able to play with you as much, but we'll always love you, and your mother 'aving another baby doesn't mean we love you any less, okay?"

Mathew smiled then.

"Okay"

"So, are you excited?" I asked.

He beamed at me.

"Yeah, I am! This means I get to be a big brother, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does! And it'll be a big responsibility, your little brother or sister is going to really look up to you and they'll want to do everything that you do"

"Can I show the baby my toys?"

"When they're a little older, yes"

"Where will they sleep?" this time, he question was addressed to Bert.

"Well, for a while they'll sleep with your mum and me, but afterwards, they can share your room, is that okay?"

"Yeah! Then we could play all night long!"

"I wouldn't count on it, mister" I mock scolded.

"Sorry…" he giggled, "…will the new baby be a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know, we'll all have to wait until they're born"

"Would like prefer a brother or a sister?" Bert asked.

"Ummm, a brother!"

"I knew you'd say that!" he laughed.

"Right then, big brother, go and wash your hands because our supper will be ready soon"

"Okay, mummy" and with that, he went barrelling up the stairs.

"Well, I think that went quite well" I chirped.

"It sure did, we raised a good boy"

"Yes we did, and soon we'll have a knew little one to raise" I said fondly whilst placing a hand on my flat stomach.

Bert's hand soon joined mine and his gaze was filled with so much love.

"What d'you think? Boy or a girl?"

"Well, I can't make any predictions, but it wold be nice to have a girl this time"

"Yeah, I think so too"

"I love you" I said before kissing him longingly.

"I love you too"

At this point in time, the world seemed to be little more than the most perfect dream, and we were in such a state of bliss – it was rather unbelievable. But, we knew that such happiness couldn't last forever, and what would life be without its ups and downs…

* * *

About a month later, tragedy struck. It's really quite torturous for me to recall this memory, but these accounts have been accurate up until this point, so it would be unfair of me to leave this part of our life out; and besides, as horrific as it was, it was still a significant event. Something that affected us all. I'm sure you already have your suspicions as to what happened.

Anyway, early one morning – my day off, in fact – I awoke peacefully as I usually would, the February sun shining rather brightly, and Bert's arms wrapped lovingly around my waist – holding me close against the delectable warmth of his chest. It was one of those perfect mornings, the kind where your first instinct upon waking is to smile; and that's exactly what I did, a large and comfortable smile spread across my lips and I simply took the time to appreciate all that I had: a loving husband, a wonderful son and one more baby on the way. Everything seemed so perfect. But as I said earlier, what is life without its ups and downs? I had rather hoped that the glorious weather of this day would play out as some lovely little pathetic fallacy…and, to its credit, it did for the first few minutes. Let me tell that tale…

Even though it was my day off, I still had to get Mathew ready for school, so, without any longing thoughts about my inability to sleep in, I began to wriggle out of Bert's embrace; but I didn't get very far and before I knew it, he was tightening his hold of me and pressing soft kissing to the back of my neck.

"Oh no, you're gonna stay right 'ere, misses!" he chuckled sleepily.

"Whilst it would be divine, I'm afraid that I have to get our son ready for school, and before you ask, no, he cannot take the day off just so that you can have a few extra hours in bed with me"

"Shame" I could _feel_ his smirk against my neck.

"It would be helpful if you made us breakfast, though"

"Then that's exactly what I'll do!" he chirped, before adding… "In a minute"

"You're utterly impossible" I teased.

"I know, but you're stuck with me now"

"Oh, please don't remind me"

"Cheeky!" he laughed before kissing my neck again.

"Come on, enough with your kisses, they're very distracting and I will not have our son arriving late"

"You're far too disciplined, love" he said softly.

"The world would go to chaos without such regiments, my dear"

"Okay, I'll agree with that – but only t' a certain extent"

"I know that discipline has never been your forte, Bert"

Finally, I was able to break out of his embrace, but our playful little discussion continued as I began to rummage through the wardrobe.

"It's not so much that I dislike discipline, but I value freedom, surely my unusual employment situation tells you that much?"

"It has, and if I'm honest, I do adore that about you"

"What? My free-spirited nature?"

"Of course" I smiled.

"I know that you've got your own wild side too, Mary, you're just better at hiding it"

"Rather I'm just very particular about who I show it to"

"Well, that makes me feel very flattered"

"It should" I replied with a smirk.

Eventually, I found a suitable outfit, but when I turned back around, I just felt my gaze being drawn to Bert…it seemed as though his was drawn to me too. He was stretched out languidly – his bare chest in full view as the sheets had pooled around his hips – and was wearing the most intense smile. I remember thinking that he really was far too handsome.

"It's rude to stare, Bert" I teased.

"I know, but I just can't 'elp but marvel at the fact that I 'ave such a beautiful wife – especially in that new nightgown"

"Such flattery! It really is a wonderful thing to wake up to"

"As are you, sweetheart"

"Well, now you're just being ridiculous!"

"Nothing could ever be too ridiculous for the mother of my two children"

It was becoming more and more difficult for me to hide my blush.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah…now, come over 'ere and let me kiss you"

"So you can pull me back into bed? I don't think so"

"Please? Just one kiss, I promise"

"Well, if I must, I must"

I sauntered over to the bed and watched as my husband's eyes darkened; but I couldn't deny that even I thought that a kiss sounded lovely. And it was. I let one of my hands cup the side of his neck as our lips met for a lingering kiss; well, if anything, lingering was an _understatement_. Our lips moved slowly over the others – in perfect sync – drawing us into that wonderful sense of ecstasy that only comes with kissing someone you love; luckily, I had the strength to pull away before things got too heated.

"Shame there isn't time for more" he said cheekily.

"Maybe when Mathew's at school" I replied with a wink, before making my way back over to the wardrobe.

And that's when it happened.

As I crossed the room, I was suddenly meant with a horrendous stab of pain that coursed through my abdomen, and as I gasped in pain, I knew something was wrong.

"Mary? Is everythin' alright?"

I couldn't bring myself to answer, my throat had closed up with fear and I just found myself in a complete state of catatonia – I was simply waiting in horror to see if it would happen again. And it did. Another pain shot through me torturously and I almost doubled over with the intensity of it. I remember how my sharp grunt echoed through the walls of our now silent bedroom. Bert leapt from the bed and was by my side in an instant.

"Oh my god, Mary! What is it?"

"There's something wrong…" I whimpered – before crying out again as another pain surfaced, "…Bert, you need to call the doctor"

"Okay, okay, I'll do that…" he panicked, "…you just sit tight, okay?"

He sat me gown gently on his side of the bed and gave me one final look of (somewhat forced) reassurance.

"It's going to be okay, Mary" he told me.

But it wasn't.

* * *

I can barely remember a word of what the doctor told me, the whole thing was just a nightmarish blur. There was only one word I took away from the encounter: miscarriage. I sat in alone with the doctor, whilst Bert was – presumably – with Mathew, but I do recall how their conversation played out.

"'ow is she? Is she gonna be alright?"

"She's fine, Mr Alfred, but I'm afraid she's had a miscarriage"

"Oh god…" he breathed brokenly.

"I know that this is a devastating time for you both, but – as I told your wife – this was not something that couldn't be blamed on anyone, some pregnancies simply don't take well, and this was nature's way of saying that something was wrong and that it would have been dangerous to let it continue. Unfortunately, these things just happen. However, this will not affect your chances of having more children in the future, and you will be able to try again when you're both emotionally ready – but we do recommend waiting until the mother has had at least one normal monthly cycle"

As if trying for another baby was what I was thinking about!

"What can I do to 'elp her?"

"Well, physically she's fine – although she may need to take it easy for a few days – but emotionally she's going to need a lot of support. Your wife has been crushed by this, Mr Alfred, and right now she needs to know that you're there for her"

"I will be, every minute of every day!"

"I'm glad to hear that. Do you have any further questions?"

"No, I don't think so"

"Well, I'll be on my way then. And I am very sorry"

And that's when it ended. The doctor had been right, I was absolutely devastated, in fact, I don't even think _that_ fully describes it, no, I was so distraught that I felt numb, as though I couldn't breathe. I just wanted to scream, to run away and for it all to be over like some horrific nightmare. But it was all too real. Bert walked into the room tentatively and everything became thick with silence and agonising tension, I just didn't know what to do, what to say or even what to think, it was just too surreal. We had lost our baby. I felt terrible, I knew how overjoyed Bert had been when he'd found out and we were both so excited about it, and now it was all gone. It had been snatched away from else like some cruel joke.

I felt the weight of the bed shift as Bert sat down beside me, but I still remained rigid with guilt and heartbreak…how could I possibly face him after what had happened? I was just so terrified that he'd reject me or that his own disappointment would drive him away. I felt my heart crumbling at the very thought of it. But when he took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, I couldn't resist looking at him, and what I saw broke my heart even more. He was crying – slow, hot tears swirling down his cheeks – but within his heartbreak I saw comfort and I knew then that what he'd said to the doctor was true: he was going to do all that he could to comfort me.

And that's when I broke down. I practically threw myself into his arms and felt myself break into forceful sobs as my own tears soaked his shirt; his arms wrapped around me and he held me close to him, and it was the safest I'd felt that day. And for the very first time, I felt the slightest glimmer of strength, I knew that as long as Bert was with me, there would be a chance of us overcoming this.

"I'm so sorry, Bert" I cried.

"Shhh, Mary, you 'eard what the doctor said, this is _not_ your fault…it just 'appened"

"I know, but you were so excited about having another baby and I just feel as though I've let you down"

"You could _never_ let me down, my love, and you 'ave no idea ;'ow proud I am of you, you 'ave shown such strength today…you're the most amazing woman I know"

I cried for a little while longer – clinging to Bert as I did so – I was desperately trying to grasp any sense of comfort that I could find, but, of course, Bert was always the source of that.

"Where's Mathew?"

"Uncle Albert collected 'im, 'e said 'e would take 'im to school too…I'll explain everythin' to him when he comes home"

I didn't even want to picture that conversation.

"We'll be okay, won't we?"

He kissed the top of my head tenderly.

"Yes, we will. It'll take time and it'll hurt, but I love you so much and I'm always going to be 'ere for you…we'll get through this together, okay?"

"Okay"

And that's how we stayed for hours, in each other's arms and crying away the pain – desperately hoping that we would be able to find some strength and overcome this great tragedy…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, so please don't hurt me! XD**

 **Regardless of the mix of emotions, I do really hope you enjoyed that and I'd love to hear your thoughts! - Also, thank you so much for all the amazing reviews that you guys have left so far, as I keep saying, they really mean the world to me.**

 **Anyway, I'll hopefully have the next chapter up on time, so, I'll see you soon! xxx**


	32. Chapter 32 - Recovery

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I am so, so sorry that this has taken so long! I have wanted to update this for a whole month, but just couldn't find that inspiration for this chapter. I knew what I was going to write, but couldn't actually write it, if that makes sense? (Plus, I got very whipped up with "Better Than A Dream") Anyway, a month is far too long, so I finally bit the bullet and got this chapter done. Hopefully updates will be a lot more frequent now, and there will only be a few more chapters, so hopefully I actually get this story done! XD**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Thirty-Two - Recovery**

God, it took months for us to recover. We were both absolutely devastated. You always hear about those unfortunate enough to be struck with a tragedy such as ours, but you never, ever think that such a fate will befall you. It always seems so removed from yourself; so, when you are hit with such heartbreak, you never quite know how to cope. And we certainly didn't. For a while, it really didn't sink in – at least not for me – and as much as I've tried to repress the pain over the years, the one thing I'll never be able to forget is just how empty I felt at that time. Quite a horrifically fitting description, I suppose, for I no longer had our baby growing inside me, so, I guess I really was empty. But I just felt numb. I tried so hard to process it all, but it seemed as though my mind just didn't want to believe it. We had lost our child, it was something that I told myself time and time again, but for the longest time, all I could do was sit and stare emptily…not feeling anything and begging that I could.

Of course, one day, it did all come crashing down on me, and I found myself yearning for the numbness that I began with. I couldn't go a single day without crying. Every morning I would stare at myself in the mirror, watching as tears edged their way from my eyes and _begged_ myself to stay strong for just another day. I never cried in front of Mathew, I always made sure of that. Bert had told him what happened – it was a conversation that I just couldn't be part of – and he was incredibly grown up about it; and although he knew that we were hurting, I made sure to do my best to hide it from him. But it was all too obvious. And Bert, well, I could barely bring myself to look at him, not due to any anger or resentment, but I just felt as if I'd failed him. Oh, I know that he assured me that I'd done no such thing, but it's hard to believe such words. Bert had been overjoyed by the prospect of another child and when I saw just how much heartbreak was in his eyes after the miscarriage, well, it was hard for me to face such a look when I knew that his pain had been caused by the fact that _I_ had lost our child.

But, he was _always_ by my side and I am so, so grateful for that. He was constantly reassuring me that I'd done nothing wrong and that he'd never stop loving me; that this whole thing was just another cruel obstacle for us to overcome. He would hold me whilst I cried myself to sleep and was even strong enough to let himself cry too – it reminded me that I was not going through this alone. I knew that he'd always be there for me. He gave me space when I needed it, he dealt with the things that I just couldn't bring myself to do and he was always there when I simply needed to be in his arms. He was amazing. And he never once complained. He always put me first. I made sure to return the favours whenever I could, for I knew that he was just as devasted; I made sure to let him express his own hurt, and when he needed a moment to himself, I would grant it without question, I knew that he couldn't be expected to carry me through this, and I didn't really want him to – it wouldn't be fair. This was us against the problem, and we made sure to face the heartache in equal measure.

Things improved slowly, and as the months rolled on, things began to resemble normality. Of course, we were still so broken by it, but I think the wellbeing of Mathew gave us the strength to push through faster than others perhaps could. We made sure that the other was always okay, making sure that we always checked up on each other, and whatever we did had a tenderness to it. It became all about protecting each other – the whole family. Still, in spite of this, there were still so many nights where I would lie awake and simply wonder what our life would've been like under different circumstances…

I remember one night in August – the month that our baby would have been born – I was sat up in bed, the covers pooled lazily over my legs and I found myself simply gazing at my empty bedside. Had everything been different, there would have been a bassinette there, and a beautiful baby sleeping soundly. Would we have had another boy, or perhaps a little girl? Would they have been a sound sleeper like Mathew, or would they have kept us up all night long? What would we have called them? Bert and I had never had a chance to even discuss names before the miscarriage. I wondered if our baby not having a true identity made it easier for us to forget, but I don't think that I wanted to; I didn't want to dwell on the pain – we needed to move on – but I wanted to always keep this baby in my mind and my heart, for even though we never knew them, they were always ours. And they had been loved.

"Are you okay?" I heard groggily from beside me.

I looked down at Bert, and even though his mind was clouded with sleep, I could still see the overpowering glow of concern in his eyes. I gave a slow nod and lay back down and let him pull me into his embrace and rest my head on his chest. Once I was settled, he bent awkwardly to feather a kiss to the top of my head.

"It would've been perfect, wouldn't it?" I asked wearily.

"Yes…" he breathed after a long pause, "…I'm sure it would 'ave. But there's no use dwelling on it – at least not on the pain"

"I know…but sometimes I can't help but wonder"

"Me too, love. But we'll get through this…we've already made it this far"

"I couldn't have done it without you" I said seriously.

"And _I_ couldn't 'ave done it _you_ either. You're stronger than you think, Mary, and we've 'elped each other through this" he reminded me, "One day, it'll all be in the past, an' although the hurt will still be there, we'll be able to look back an' know that we're stronger because of it"

That was when I truly started to believe that there was hope for us.

* * *

But, about six months later – in February – I found out that I was pregnant again, and I'd never felt more terrified…

"Everything's gonna be okay, Mary" Bert soothed as we came back from the doctors.

"I'm not ready, Bert" I whimpered as I sank down onto the sofa. He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms.

It had been a year since we lost our baby, but I still felt so destroyed by it all, and I was so very terrified…I wasn't sure if I was strong enough to cope. What if it happened again?

"I know, love, and I'm sorry…"

"No, it's not your fault"

"I know you're scared – I'm scared too – but I'm gonna be by your side every step of the way" he assured as he held me tighter.

"I know but – but what if it happens again? I don't think I could face it…and I don't think you could either"

"There's nothin' to say that it'll 'appen again, nothing caused it the first time other than bad luck…"

"But it _could_ happen again" I breathed.

"But it could also be completely fine…just like Mathew"

"I don't think I can do this"

"Yes you can, Mary. I _know_ you can. You've been so strong over the past year, and I know that you're strong enough to get through this too"

"How can you have such faith in me?"

"Because I've known you long enough, 'aven't I? I've seen you go through thick and thin without so much as a frown or a complaint. You're the strongest person I know, Mary"

"I…I _do_ want this baby, but it's going to be difficult…"

"No one expects you t' find it easy – it's only been a year, an' this wasn't exactly planned – but I know that we can get through it. We're not alone in this"

"Thank goodness…" I exhaled.

"And by the end of it, we're gonna 'ave another beautiful baby to share our life with"

"You think so?" I asked – finally looking up at him.

He pecked my forehead lovingly.

"I know so"

And, truly, I hoped so…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! That's a bit more uplifting than the last chapter. I know this chapter was a lot shorter than the last three, but they were kind of an exception because this story was only ever meant to contain short chapters...but it was also meant to be finished last month, so... XD**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed that and I'd really love to hear your thoughts/opinions/ETC, so please leave a review.**

 **Sorry again for making you wait so long, but, I promise I'll see you soon! xxx**


	33. Chapter 33 - When the sunshine returned

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Please let me over my most profuse apologies for how long this chapter has taken, I really didn't intend to make you wait this long, but not only did my focus shift a lot more to "Better than a Dream", but I also had terrible writers block for this story. And whilst I definitely didn't want to abandon it, I didn't want to force myself to write a new chapter and have it turn out really bad. I'm hoping that I have done this chapter justice and that you enjoy it.**

 **And again, I'm so sorry that it had taken so long.**

* * *

 **A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever**

 **Chapter Thirty-three - When the sunshine returned**

It took a long time for our fears to settle, in fact, during the first few months of the pregnancy, I don't think there was a single day when Bert or myself didn't worry that something was going to happen to the baby. It was so saddening to look back on, not only did we have to live through the tragedy of one miscarriage, but that very event would distort our next pregnancy – something that we otherwise would have been simply overjoyed about. But, I chose not to curse the universe for it, and instead, we did our absolute best to not only calm ourselves, but to keep ourselves confident in front of Mathew, for we still didn't want him to see anything but the most minute elements of our pain…and even that was a struggle to watch him witness.

I was so proud of him, though, for he showed immense understanding when Bert had told him about the miscarriage, and, to his credit, he never mentioned it to me…until my fourth month of pregnancy. I never blamed him for being curious – he was still so young after all – and, in hindsight, I don't think he truly fully understood what had happened to me. So, one evening, when I had just finished reading him his bedtime story, he timidly asked me…

"Mummy…why did you _lose_ the last baby?"

I knew that the word 'lose' had been emphasised due to his own lack of knowledge, I supposed that in the mind of a six-year-old, things were only lost when someone had misplaced them, and he was intelligent enough to know that that was not the case with his first potential younger sibling. I'm not sure how prepared I was to answer the question, but I think discussing it out loud (and accommodating for the innocence of a child) helped me to overcome the last few looming hurdles. I took a deep, steeling breath and delicately gave him my answer.

"I'm not sure how much your father told you, but sometimes, when the baby is growing inside a mother's tummy, it doesn't grow properly, which means that…"

I remember panicking about how I could possibly explain this to my little boy,

"…it means that they don't have enough strength and energy to keep on growing so the mother's body, ummm, _loses_ the baby"

I simply couldn't figure out any other way to phrase it. I watched as he bowed his head in contemplation, and I really felt for him. Mathew was an observant child and noticed instantly that Bert and I were not the same after it'd happened, he had wanted to help and understand, but through no fault of his own, he simply couldn't. I could tell it caused him great dismay throughout the course of the year.

"It made you and daddy very sad, didn't it?"

"Yes, it did, sweetheart…because even though we never knew the baby, we loved it very much"

"It made me sad too…I wanted a baby brother"

"Well…" I began as I looked down at my abdomen hopefully, "you never know, you might have a baby brother sooner than you think"

"You won't lose this baby, will you mummy?"

I swallowed hard, but answered before I allowed the panic to close around my throat,

"I hope not, sweetheart…but now that the baby has been growing for four months, it's less likely that I'll lose it"

"That makes me very happy" he beamed.

"Me too" I replied, but Mathew was far too observant and precocious for his age, and he saw straight through my mask.

"Don't be scared, mum" he said, taking my hand in both of his.

"I'll try, but having you and daddy makes me feel a lot better"

"It does?"

"Yes, you and your father are both very loving and supportive, and I know that I would be _very_ scared if that wasn't the case. Especially you, Mathew, you've been so brave, and it's been a tremendous help. I'm so proud of you"

He looked back at me with a semi-toothless smile – one that held great pride.

"I'm glad we make you feel better, mummy!"

"I am too. Now, come on, no more excitement, you've got school in the morning"

"And I need lots of sleep if I'm going to be a good big brother!" he proclaimed.

"Yes, that's very true" I chuckled back before pecking his forehead and tucking him into bed.

"Goodnight, Mathew" I said tenderly.

"Goodnight, mummy…goodnight baby!"

I gave him one final smile before flicking out the light and closing his door. I'm not quite sure how he did it – perhaps it was just the sheer force of childlike magic – but I suddenly felt so much more at ease with everything. And whilst parts of my mind were still clouded with fears, I was finally able to smile truthfully and look forward with great elation at all this pregnancy would bring. I obviously hadn't realised how much I was beaming as I made my way into the drawing room, for as soon as Bert spotted me from his place on the sofa, he began to grin.

"What're you smilin' about?"

"I think our son has just helped me conquer my demons" I explained as I sat beside him.

"Quite impressive for a six-year-old, 'ow did 'e manage that?" Bert's tone remained light and colourful, I suspect that he didn't want to ruin my newfound happiness with any kind of bleak discussion or tone.

"I think it just comes from the innocence of a child. I don't know how some people can believe that their emotions and ways of thinking are less sophisticated, because that boy has the biggest heart I've ever known in a child. Just being able to talk with him about what happened in such a simplistic way has made me realise that I should try and ward off all of the complications that come with an adult way of thinking. Instead clouding over everything within unnecessary grief, and anger and bitterness about why _we_ had to face the tragedy, I should just accept that it happened, and that it was horrible, but…" then I moved my hands to rest on my abdomen – feeling the minute swell that had only recently developed – "…now we have a new miracle to look forward to. And for the first time, I'm starting to gain some confidence regarding this pregnancy"

"You 'ave no idea 'ow 'appy that makes me" Bert said tenderly, his voice flowing with love, "I 'ate seeing you so scared all the time"

"It wasn't just Mathew, mind you, your support has been lifesaving – and I mean that – if I didn't have you I…I don't know what kind of state I'd be in"

"Don't sell yourself short, Mar, you've done wonders for me too. I think all three of us 'ave saved each other; it's been a unique system that never would 'ave worked if one of the pieces 'ad been missing"

"Then we're all blessed"

"Yes, we are, an', you know, I think that if you're able to let go of your more acute fears, then I think I can too. You're right we need to enjoy this pregnancy and not let the past darken the bright future that's waiting for us" he solidified his words with a gentle kiss to my cheek, and I couldn't help but sigh contently.

That was when everything began to feel right. But, little did I know that only a few weeks later, our gentle stream of happiness would evolve into otherworldly elation…

* * *

It was a simple Saturday afternoon, it was raining, of course, but one can't really expect anything else from England's spring time (or most of its seasons, for that matter), so, the three of us were inside. If memory serves me correctly, Bert and Mathew were drawing (I assured them that I would not waste any of my energy with using my magic to clean up their mess, so the table was thoroughly covered with an old sheet) and I had permitted myself the luxury of relaxing on the sofa whilst sewing up a hole that Mathew had managed to wear into a pair of his trousers.

So, as you can tell, it really wasn't a particularly exciting afternoon, but, oh, we were about to be taken by surprise. I'm not sure how much time had passed whilst we carried out our various leisure activities, but at some point, I felt a distinct sharp jab come from my stomach; and with an audible gasp, I stopped dead and let myself simply feel it. You see, I had been feeling the lightest of sensations for a few weeks prior, but from my previous pregnancy, I had learnt that this particular feeling was the tell-tale mark of the baby's kick. Our baby was kicking!

Instantly, I felt my eyes glaze over with tears as I felt yet another one, our baby was moving, and they were okay! It was the first piece of solid evidence to suggest the positivity of their fate and I was simply astounded by it. Bert – who had heard my original gasp – rose slowly from his chair and approached me, a look of dreaded anticipation upon his face.

"Mary is everything okay?"

"Come here" I said almost breathlessly, and within seconds he was sitting by my side.

He was about to ask me again if I was okay, but before I let him speak, I simply took his hand and placed it on my stomach. As if on cue, the baby released another sharp kick, and I watched as my husband's face filled with the purest kind of awe and disbelief. He had felt it and he too began to realise what it meant.

"Oh, Mary…" he breathed, and for a few seconds, that was all he could say, we were both just so overwhelmed and _relieved_ too. Never had we ever known a moment more magical.

It took all of our combined strength not to simply burst into floods of tears – for our euphoria was just that strong – I really can't explain how it felt to have all of all fears practically eradicated, and to know that we really could go through this pregnancy with the joy that was meant to accompany it.

"What's happening?" Mathew asked curiously as he too began to make his way over to us.

"Mathew, come 'ere" Bert instructed, "Put yer 'and on your mum's tummy"

Mathew gave Bert a bit of an odd look, but when he noticed that his father was doing the same, he went along with it. For a few seconds there was only stillness and my heart began to sink as I wondered if that would be all for today, but yet again, our baby kicked at just the right moment and Mathew's eyes shot open once he felt it too.

"Can you feel that?" I asked him.

"Yes…what is it?"

"That's yer baby brother or sister" Bert explained – smiling from ear-to-ear.

"It is?"

"Yeah, when babies are in their mother's tummies, they liked t' move around an' kick"

Mathew was silent for a few seconds of reflection.

"That's got to be a boy, a girl couldn't kick that hard" he reasoned.

Both Bert and I chuckled at his comment, but soon after, Bert sent me a sly smile.

"I dunno, son, I've known women 'oo can kick _very_ 'ard"

"Bert, I assure you that I've never kicked you"

 _I had._

"Oh-ho, yes you 'ave, Mary, right in the shins, if I recall?"

"Well, I'm sure you deserved it" I jested.

 _He had._

"Oh, indubitably" he laughed.

And that was that, we simply sat there as a family and basked in the fact that we knew that everything was going to be okay…

* * *

And it really was, the pregnancy – much to our relief – continued without a hitch; each doctors appointment brought us nothing but good news regarding the baby's development, each milestone passed easily and with great excitement and before we knew it, the day of the birth had arrived. Well, I say day, but that's probably putting it too kindly, for our second child announced that they were ready to make their appearance at four o'clock in the morning.

I was awake at the ungodly hour due to my excessive need to visit the bathroom, but I never even made it back to the bed before the first signs of labour arose…I didn't know which labour was worse, Mathews – where I had been all alone for the first part, or this one where Bert refused to stir from his slumber. Let me tell you this, it never does to frustrate a woman in labour, and even though Bert could not be blamed for his newfound talent of sleeping through almost anything, I did have a rather strong urge to hit him over the head. But perhaps that was due to the contractions?

Regardless, I eventually managed to rouse my groggy husband, but, as he was wont to do, when Bert processed what was happening – and the gravity of the situation – he immediately became alert (and rather panicked). So, as I sat on the bed – trying to sooth my still infrequent contractions – Bert was pacing the bedroom, trying to figure out what to do next.

"Bert…" I groaned, since I'd decided to speak just as another contraction had left me, "…please stay calm, darling, this really isn't any different from last time – at least you're actually here" I joked.

"But it _is_ different, we 'ave Mathew for a start!"

"Darling, I think you've forgotten that Uncle Albert has offered his assistance and has been on standby for the last few weeks. I know it's four in the morning, but all you need to do is phone him and he'll be right over"

"Okay…okay…yes, of course, I'm sorry I'm in such a state"

"It's okay" I reassured, "You'll be perfect just like you were last time"

"I still don't know 'ow you can remain so calm"

"I've told you before, it's a façade. I'm still terrified" I admitted, "but there's no getting away from it now, so I might as well put my fears aside and conserve my energy"

Bert shook his head in awe.

"Okay, Mary, sit tight. I'll call the doctor and then your uncle"

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere!" I laughed as he made his way downstairs.

I don't suppose there's much that I can say about this birth, not without repeating what I said when I told you about the day that Mathew was born. I don't wish for it to seem underwhelming, because it was anything but; the pain was still just as agonising (something my mind had dulled over the years) and, once again, there were moments when I was certain that I would not be able to bring our child into the world. In fact, there were also times when I was quite sure that I was going to pass out and I had announced it with a guttural scream to both Bert and the doctor. Of course, I managed to remain conscious throughout my labour.

My Uncle had taken Mathew back to his house, which I was grateful for, I hated the thought of him waking up and discovering that I was in agony, although, I doubt I would've cared – or even remembered that I even had a son – at the time. But, once again, with the support of Bert, I was able to make it through. Just like the last time, he never, ever left my side, in fact, since the memories of the miscarriage still burned within us, I think that heighted his loyalty to me, and the doctor wouldn't have been able to get him to leave me even if the room was on fire. But I was so very grateful for his love and support, it really meant more to me than I would ever be able to express.

So, after about five hours of pain, sweat, tears (and some horrific screams on my part), our daughter, Abigail Alfred, was born on the 21st of August 1920…and with a healthy pair of lungs too. Oh, she was absolutely beautiful, I simply can't describe it to you! I was so exhausted that I could barely keep my eyes open as she was placed into my arms, but when Bert and I first looked upon her, the first thing we noticed was just how much she looked like me. Bert had been the one to vocalise it,

"She's got your eyes, your nose, your mouth – everythin' about 'er just screams you" he proclaimed, and not since the day Mathew was born had I ever heard such love flood his voice, "Oh, Mary, she's just beautiful!" he gushed.

"Our little miracle" I breathed as I feathered a kiss onto her forehead.

As she whimpered within my hold, I couldn't help but weep as I looked upon her, after the loss of our baby, I had had many moments when I thought that there would be no hope of us ever having another child, but Abigail was the absolute proof that my fears were little more than paranoia; and just like Mathew, I loved her with every inch of my being. From the moment I heard her cry for the first time, I knew that I would do anything to protect her.

Albert had brought Mathew back shortly after everything had been cleaned up and Abigail had had her first feed – something that she had taken to so naturally. Bert had gone down to greet them both, and due to the fact that the bedroom door was slightly ajar, I could hear the tender explanations that Bert gave to our son.

"Now, Mathew, I know that yer very excited to meet yer sister, but you must remember to be very quiet and very gentle, okay? Your mother is very, very tired because it's 'ard work 'aving a baby, and I think yer sister 'as just fallen asleep, so we don't want to wake her up, do we?"

"I'll be quiet, I promise" Mathew whispered.

"Is Mary okay?" was my uncle's question.

"She's fine. Exhausted – naturally – but she's doin' great" he said proudly.

And that's when the three of them entered the bedroom – Bert leading the pack like the proud father her was. Mathew approached me cautiously, suddenly feeling very insecure about the rights and wrongs of what he should do in a situation that was completely foreign to him; but I gave him a warm smile that beckoned both him and my uncle to step closer.

"I'd like you both to meet your new sister and nice, Abigail" I told them quietly.

"Oh, Mary, she's gorgeous," was Albert's first comment, "and she looks just like you"

"So I've been told" I chuckled whilst stealing a look at my husband, "What do you think, Mathew?" I prompted.

Mathew was staring at his little sister in fascination, trying to fully process the situation.

"She's so small" was his first awe-filled comment.

"Yes, she is, but she'll grow very quickly over the next year"

"I – uh – I think she's cute too" Mathew added with a blush – causing us all to smile fondly.

"Yes, I do too"

"Does it hurt to have a baby, mummy?"

"Yes, it does hurt a bit…but it's all worth it in the end"

"I'm glad it didn't hurt you too much"

"Thank you, sweetheart"

"Will she sleep a lot?" he asked next.

"For a while, yes, but after a couple of months she'll be awake a lot more"

"How long until I'm allowed to play with her?"

"I'm not sure, it depends when she's ready…but it'll definitely take a few months"

"Oh…" he sighed – disappointed.

"How about this, in a few days time – when we're all a bit more settled – I'll let you hold her, how does that sound?"

"I'd like that" he beamed.

"Good boy" I said.

And that was how it was. We had welcomed a new member to the Alfred family after a period of devastating pains, and never before had we felt more connected; there was so much loved within our household and to this day, I still feel so blessed that I got to live such a wonderful life.

But, of course, there are a few more events that I feel I should mention…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! Like I said, I really hope you enjoyed that - especially since I made you wait for so long. Now, I'm not sure how many more chapters I'm going to write, at a guess, I'd say five more at a maximum and two more at a minimum (so maybe I'll aim for three?)**

 **I don't have many ideas left on my plan, and whilst I could start writing about every tiny details of Mary and Bert's life (like I did at the beginning) I really don't think I want to do that. Whilst I am still enjoying writing this - and about Mary and Bert - this story is almost a year old, and, if I'm being honest, I do want it to come to an end. I could easily spend a few more writing about different events, but I feel like that would just make this too long, and everything must come to an end.**

 **I guess what I'm saying is that the chronological spaces between events is going to increase a lot and that I'm going to end this story soon because I don't think I have the energy of inspiration to keep going. I hope you understand that I and I hope you'll enjoy the next few chapters to come.**

 **I know I said that I was going to try and finish this story in May, but I'm going to try even harder to get this story finished before September so that I don't have to worry about it when I go abroad.** **Anyway, I'll stop talking now! XD**

 **Thank you so much for the lovely reviews you've left so far (they mean the world to me) and thank you for having so much patience and for being so loyal!**

 **Please leave a review and let me know what you thought, and I'll see you soon...I promise! :P**


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